Hume's Political Discourses

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The Scott Library.

HUME’S POLITICAL DISCOURSES.

⁂ For Full List of the Volumes in This Series, See Catalogue at End of Book.

HUME’S POLITICAL DISCOURSES.

With an Introduction by William Bell Robertson, Author of “Foundations of Political Economy,” “Slavery of Labour,” Etc.

The Walter Scott Publishing Co., Ltd. London and Felling-on-Tyne. New York: 3 East 14th Street.

CONTENTS.

Introduction vii

Of Commerce 1

Of Refinement in the Arts 15

Of Money 27

Of Interest 39

Of the Balance of Trade 51

Of the Jealousy of Trade 67

Of the Balance of Power 71

Of Taxes 78

Of Public Credit 83

Of some Remarkable Customs 98

Of the Populousness of Ancient Nations 106

Of the Original Contract 174

Of Passive Obedience 192

Of the Coalition of Parties 196

Of the Protestant Succession 203

Idea of a Perfect Commonwealth 214

That Politics may be Reduced to a Science 229

Of the First Principles of Government 243

Of Political Society 247

Alphabetical Arrangement of Authorities cited by Hume 253

INTRODUCTION.

Regretting the meagre records of the life of Adam Smith, the Right Hon. R. B. Haldane, M.P.,​[1] remarks:—“We think of him, in the main, and we think of him rightly, as the bosom friend of David Hume” (b. 1711, d. 1777). Naturally, incidents in the life of a philosopher are neither numerous nor stirring. It is unreasonable to expect them, and such stories as are handed down regarding great thinkers are best not to be accepted unreservedly. I leave Hume, therefore, to present his own picture as drawn in My own Life—the picture he wished posterity to have—which consequently follows this introduction, and is itself followed by Adam Smith’s celebrated letter to Mr. Strahan, Hume’s publisher, giving an account of Hume’s death.

It is chiefly as a political economist that Hume concerns us here, as it is in the Political Discourses, first published in 1752, his economic principles are set forth. What the reader may expect to find in these Discourses I prefer to let writers of renown tell. Thus Lord Brougham—

“Of the Political Discourses it would be difficult to speak in terms of too great commendation. They combine almost every excellence which can belong to such a performance. The reasoning is clear, and unencumbered with more words or more illustrations than are necessary for bringing out the doctrines. The learning is extensive, accurate, and profound, not only as to systems of philosophy, but as to history, whether modern or ancient. . . . The great merit, however, of these Discourses is their originality, and the new system of politics and political economy which they unfold. Mr. Hume is, beyond all doubt, the author of the modern doctrines which now rule the world of science, which are to a great extent the guide of practical statesmen, and are only prevented from being applied in their fullest extent to the affairs of nations by the clashing interests and the ignorant prejudices of certain powerful classes.”