Introduction Several theories have been advanced by a significant number of theorists, who seek to use these theories to explain the functionality of institutions within political realms of the society. One such theorist is Thomas Paine, who coined the theory of ‘common sense’. Paine is one of the ancient theorists in history. He developed this theory back in 1776. The theory seeks to criticize the actions of individuals and authorities. Paine’s theory has a number of empirical justifications that can help in inspiring the actions by governments and individuals concerning issues of governance (Larkin 88). This paper explores Paine’s theory of ‘common sense’. The paper expands on the subject of equality of people in governance as poised by Paine’s theory. The paper also carries a critical evaluation and the worthiness of the arguments that are postulated by Paine. Understanding the theory of ‘common sense’ As observed in the introductory notes, the concept of ‘common sense’ was developed in the latter years of the 18 th century. During this period, the accolades of British imperialism were still prevalent in the United States. A substantial number of modern political theorists have argued that this concept by Paine posed the first major challenge to Britain’s Authority in the United States by critiquing the actions of the British administrators in the United States. The theory is strongly founded in the development of governance in the society and the implications for which it has on the interaction of people and the government. Common sense as brought out by Paine entails passages that appertain to natural rights; human rights made humans equal and should, thus, be treated equally. The main argument of the theory, which is the abuse of power by the political authority, is often easily justified. However, the main concern is whether the justification of such abuses warrants to be given attention by the society. The society is built by the common demands of the citizenry, while governments are often built on the grounds of exploitative thoughts. Therefore, Paine argues that the foundations of the society promote the equality of human beings through the aspect of common needs, while the foundations of governance kill the recognition of human equality through cultivation of wickedness for gains (Paine and Philp n.p.). In his exploration of the origin and existence of government in the society, Paine argued that the government is often the source of miseries that befalls man. He makes a comparison of government with the existence of a society in the earth, which does not have any attributes of governance. He notes that such a population would be quite united and respectful of the rights of each other since human beings are united by their needs under what is known as ‘society’. He made reference to how power is molded in governance, where he noted that people fear power because of its negative attributes. Therefore, the fact that the government is molded along power makes it harder for people to trust the government. The issue of power and its subsequent exercise is a complex issue altogether and increases the difficulty of embracing the state of equality. Power is molded by both the subjects and the rulers. While it is claimed that the subjects have a role to play in shaping the exercise of power, the rulers take advantage of the loyalty and the respect accorded to them to abuse the power vested on them. What ought to be asked is whether power can be guarded and utilized for the benefit of