Thus began an essay that inspired American farmers and fishermen to fight the world's largest and best-trained army. Their goal was to gain independence from the British oligarchy (the king and the East India Company). Thomas Paine's words were both fiery and rational. His Common Sense and The American Crisis were read aloud in taverns, churches, schools, and meeting houses. They motivated the exhausted troops led by George Washington at Valley Forge to cross the Delaware River and win the Battle of Trenton. After a series of crushing defeats, this victory infused new life into a disheartened America. Without Paine, there might not be a United States, or for that matter, there might not be what's known as "democracy" anywhere in the world.

As a student of American literature, I was enthralled by the writings of Paine, Franklin, Thoreau, and others who warned against unchecked power in the hands of a few. In these times, when the world's richest 1% own about half of the world's new wealth and democracy is under attack, I've wondered what a conversation between Thom and a reformed economic hit man would sound like. I envisioned us sitting across from each other in front of a blazing fire in the parlor of a Philadelphia inn. I assumed that he had been able to witness all that had transpired since his time until now. Here's what I came up with:

"So, Thom," I ask, "is oligarchy the same as monarchy?"

"Well now," he replies, drawing on a clay pipe and blowing the smoke out in tiny ringlets, "the end result of monarchy and oligarchy is the same; however, monarchy is hereditary while the modern form of oligarchy is based on wealth through dominating businesses that own communications, transportation, technology, and other key sectors of the economy. Although the Revolution lifted Americans out from under the tyranny of the ruling elites of England, today you seem determined to kneel before an oligarchy of your own brand of elites."