Thomas Paine's objective was not what you think it was.
"The first step, therefore, of practical relief, would be to abolish the poor-rates entirely, and in lieu thereof, to make a remission of taxes to the poor of double the amount of the present poor-rates, viz., four millions annually out of the surplus taxes."
I think we can be more definite than that. Based on "Common Sense" and "Rights of Man" it is pretty clear that Paine was oppossed to any kind of government that was more concerned with furthering its own power than the social good.
"The first step, therefore, of practical relief, would be to abolish the poor-rates entirely, and in lieu thereof, to make a remission of taxes to the poor of double the amount of the present poor-rates, viz., four millions annually out of the surplus taxes."
Rights of Man, Part the Second