In The Rights of Man, first published in 1791, Thomas Paine argued against monarchy and outlined the elements of a successful republic, including public education, pensions, and relief of the poor and unemployed, all financed by income tax. Here, Christopher Hitchens marvels at the book's forethought and revels in its contentiousness. Above all, he shows how The Rights of Man forms the philosophical cornerstone of the world's most powerful republic: the United States of America.