In Agrarian Justice Thomas Paine is "at his best" in A J Ayer's opininon*, and the proposal contained in it is "a remarkable anticipation of the humane principles of the Welfare State". Published in 1797, this work was base on the contention that "the earth, in its natural uncultivated state... was the common property of the human race" and the economic values acruing to these natural resource need to be shared among men equally. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

• ^[1]