Question

Why did Thomas Paine question British authority to rule the colonies in Common Sense?

He believed the king would only approve laws that benefited Britain.
He believed Parliament did not understand the needs of the American people.
He believed British laws could not be enforced from a distance.
He believed the size of the colonies made them impossible for Britain to rule.

Answer 1

He argued that an island (Britain) should not — and could not — properly rule a continent (the colonies). Paine stressed that the distance and size made British rule impractical and absurd.