While change rarely has one cause, Thomas Paine mattered. Before Paine, the norm was pyramidal societies claiming divine right through foundations clouded in mystery. Demolishing those assumptions, he ignited a worldwide demand for republics grounded in written constitutions. Before Paine, “democracy” connoted anarchy and mob rule. He transformed “democracy” into a viable governance model and expressed the goal of most countries today. Before Paine, nations became allies to oppose other nations. He foresaw republics proliferating worldwide and associating to pursue peace and commerce. Before Paine, reformers favored arcane writing displaying their erudition and elitism. He labored to communicate to everyone “in language as plain as A, B, C.” Join our journey exploring Paine's complex and consequential life and work, a complete revision of Rich’s 2020 RENESAN course.