Thomas Paine makes the case for American independence from Britain in his famous pamphlet "Common Sense." He argues that alleged benefits of British rule are actually liabilities, citing unfair trade policies that hurt the American economy during British wars and entanglement in foreign conflicts. Paine asserts that self-government is the natural right of Americans. He urges readers to oppose not just British tyranny but the tyrant himself. Paine portrays Britain's monarch as a "royal brute" while suggesting that in America, "the law is king."