Question

What idea by Thomas Paine contributed to the American Revolution?

That governments had a responsibility to provide certain rights to citizens.

A government's role was to protect its citizens from invasion at all costs.

Citizens had to support their government with taxes, even it seemed unfair.

Neither governments nor citizens could break the social contract, even if one side was disloyal.

Answer 1

That governments had a responsibility to provide certain rights to citizens.

In Common Sense and other writings, Paine argued that governments exist to protect natural rights and derive their power from the consent of the governed — and if a government fails to do so, people have the right to change it.