evidence: Thomas Paine is a French citizen since 1792 - because he defended "the cause of peoples against the despotism of kings" - and he was elected to the National Convention (the French Assembly between 1792 and 1795) for the Pas-de-Calais. [...] Property of personal rights, instead of property of material goods, is, according to Paine, the only criterion from which a political society can be created. Humans thus unite in a society in order to preserve their personal rights, the right for life being the first one.