Thomas Paine: Propaganda and Persuasion
Thomas Paine, often called the “Godfather of America” w
as an eighteenth century writer who used propaganda and persuasion techniques to motivate Americans
in the fight for freedom from Britain. In one of several editions of his pamphlets titled The Crisi
s, Paine used several propaganda and persuasion techniques including over generalization, either/or
fallacy, bandwagon appeal, parallelism, analogy, repetition, anecdote, and loaded language. During
the winter of 1776, American soldiers fighting in the Revolutionary War under the command of George
Washington had little food, insufficient shelter, and many were deserting. The reading of The Crisi
s to these troops had a profound effect upon their morale which lead to a victory at Trenton. Georg
e Washington’s famous crossing of the Delaware River ultimately became a turning point in the war.
As noted by John Keane in his book, Tom Paine: a Political Life, “Tom Paine strikes our times like a
trumpet blast from a distant world.”
Thomas Paine used propaganda methods to induce a desire for f
reedom in the reader in one of his works, The Crisis. One type of propaganda used was over generali
zation. His use of broad generalities was demonstrated when he concluded, “Not a man lives on the c
ontinent, but fully believes that a separation must sometime or other finally take place...” A seco
nd type of propaganda used was either/or fallacy. Paine had the sentiment that a man either fought
for freedom or would always be known as a coward when he stated, “The heart that feels not now is de
ad; the blood of his children will curse his cowardice who shrinks back at a time when a little migh
t have saved the whole, and made them happy.” The third and final use of propaganda in Paine’s The
Crisis was the bandwagon appeal. To truly be an admired American, Tom thought that one had to suppo
rt and fight for freedom for all. This was exemplified when he said, “The summer soldier and the su
nshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country, but he that stands it
now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.”
Tom Paine also used many forms of persuasion i
n his essays contained in The Crisis. The first type of persuasive style used was parallelism. He
noted the similarities between England and a house burglar when he stated, “...but if a thief breaks
into my house, burns and destroys my property, and kills or threatens me, or those that are in it,
and to ‘bind me in all cases whatsoever’ to his absolute will, am I to suffer it?” A second genera o
f persuasion used was the analogy. Thomas Paine concluded that the King of England was an impious c
riminal when he declared, “I cannot see on what grounds the King of Britain can look up to heaven fo
r help against us: a common murderer, a highwayman, or a housebreaker has as good a pretense as he..
.” The third example of persuasion used was repetition. He continually claimed God’s assistance for
the American cause when he expressed, “...God almighty will not give up a people to military destru
ction, or leave the unsupported to perish...” and “Neither have I so much of the infidel in me as t
o suppose that He has relinquished the government of the world, and given us up to the care of devil
s.” A fourth instance of persuasion Paine utilized was loaded language. Emotional excitement was c
ertainly provoked when he declared, “Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, had declared that
she has a right not only to tax, but ‘to bind us in all cases whatsoever’; and if being bound in th
at manner is not slavery, then is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth.” The fifth and final
example of persuasion contained in The Crisis was the anecdote. Paine told the story of a common m
an who wanted to see freedom in his lifetime. “A noted one, who kept a tavern at Amboy, was standin
g at his door, with as pretty a child in his hand, about eight or nine years old, as I ever saw, and
after speaking his mind as freely as he thought was prudent, finished with this unfatherly expressi
on, ‘Well! give me peace in my day.’”
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homas paine propaganda persuasion thomas paine often called godfather america eighteenth century wri
ter used propaganda persuasion techniques motivate americans fight freedom from britain several edit
ions pamphlets titled crisis paine used several propaganda persuasion techniques including over gene
ralization either fallacy bandwagon appeal parallelism analogy repetition anecdote loaded language d
uring winter american soldiers fighting revolutionary under command george washington little food in
sufficient shelter many were deserting reading crisis these troops profound effect upon their morale
which lead victory trenton george washington famous crossing delaware river ultimately became turni
ng point noted john keane book political life strikes times like trumpet blast from distant world th
omas used methods induce desire freedom reader works crisis type over generalization broad generalit
ies demonstrated when concluded lives continent fully believes that separation must sometime other f
inally take place second type either fallacy sentiment that either fought freedom would always known
coward when stated heart that feels dead blood children will curse cowardice shrinks back time when
little might have saved whole made them happy third final bandwagon appeal truly admired american t
hought support fight this exemplified said summer soldier sunshine patriot will this shrink from ser
vice their country stands deserves love thanks woman also many forms essays contained first type per
suasive style parallelism noted similarities between england house burglar stated thief breaks into
house burns destroys property kills threatens those bind cases whatsoever absolute will suffer secon
d genera analogy concluded king england impious criminal declared cannot what grounds king britain l
ook heaven help against common murderer highwayman housebreaker good pretense third example repetiti
on continually claimed assistance american cause expressed almighty give people military destruction
leave unsupported perish neither have much infidel suppose relinquished government world given care
devils fourth instance utilized loaded language emotional excitement certainly provoked declared br
itain with army enforce tyranny declared right only bind cases whatsoever being bound manner slavery
then there such thing slavery upon earth fifth final example contained anecdote told story common w
anted lifetime noted kept tavern amboy standing door with pretty child hand about eight nine years e
ver after speaking mind freely thought prudent finished with this unfatherly expression well give pe
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