Paine’s writings mark the beginning in Western political thought of a very long tradition, namely that people are worth more than their productive capacity. People are not simply economic units whose moral worth is measured by what they produce for the market. Every person is entitled to a share in the wealth that is created collectively in the world, as part of recognizing his or her existence. The capacity to feed, clothe and shelter oneself ought not be dependent on the capacity to do some kind of productive work, especially when being productive is defined within the narrow confines of material value determined by market capitalism. The moral hierarchy created around people’s economic success as a productive unit is false and dehumanizing. People have a claim upon society by virtue of their humanity.