A Wealth of Common Sense: Why Simplicity Trumps Complexity in Any Investment Plan

Introduction: Why Simplicity is the New Sophistication

In 1776, Thomas Paine, a political activist, philosopher, and poet published a simple pamphlet that likely altered history as we know it. The title of his publication was plain and simple—Common Sense. This tiny pamphlet, which numbered less than 90 pages, inspired the original 13 colonies to seek their independence from Great Britain and form the United States of America. It's been said that virtually every rebel read, or at least listened to, the words written by Paine. This was Paine's introduction to Common Sense:

In the following pages I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense; and have no other preliminaries to settle with the reader, than that he will ...