Hume: Political Essays (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought)

"David Hume is commonly known as one of the greatest philosophers to write in English. He was also one of the foremost political and economic theorists and one of the finest historians of the eighteenth century. His political essays reflect the entire range of his intellectual engagement with politics--as political philosophy, political observation and political history--and function as an extension of and supplement to works such as his Treatise of Human Nature and his History of England. The twenty-seven most important essays are presented in this fully annotated edition, together with excerpts from the History of England that point up their context."--Pub. desc Contents......Page 7 Introduction (editorial)......Page 11 chronology......Page 31 Bibliographical notes......Page 33 A note on the text and the edition......Page 38 Biographical notes......Page 41 Bibliography......Page 56 ESSAY ONE Of the liberty of the press......Page 67 ESSAY TWO That politics may be reduced to a science......Page 70 ESSAY THREE Of the first principles of government......Page 82 ESSAY FOUR Of the origin of government......Page 86 ESSAY FIVE Of the independency of Parliament......Page 90 ESSAY SIX Whether the British government inclines more toabsolute monarchy, or to a republic......Page 94 ESSAY SEVEN Of parties in general......Page 99 ESSAY EIGHT Of the parties of Great Britain......Page 106 ESSAY NINE Of superstition and enthusiasm......Page 112 ESSAY TEN Of civil liberty......Page 117 ESSAY ELEVEN Of the rise and progress of the arts and sciences......Page 124 ESSAY TWELVE Of national characters......Page 144 ESSAY THIRTEEN Of commerce......Page 159 ESSAY FOURTEEN Of refinement in the arts......Page 171 ESSAY FIFTEEN Of money......Page 181 ESSAY SIXTEEN Of interest......Page 192 ESSAY SEVENTEEN Of the balance of trade......Page 202 ESSAY EIGHTEEN Of the jealousy of trade......Page 216 ESSAY NINETEEN Of the balance of power......Page 220 ESSAY TWENTY Of taxes......Page 227 ESSAY TWENTY-ONE Of public credit......Page 232 ESSAY TWENTY-TWO Of some remarkable customs......Page 245 ESSAY TWENTY-THREE Of the original contract......Page 252 ESSAY TWENTY -FOUR Of passive obedience......Page 268 ESSAY TWENTY-FIVE Of the coalition of parties......Page 272 ESSAY TWENTY-SIX Of the Protestant succession......Page 279 ESSAY TWENTY-SEVEN Idea of a perfect commonwealth......Page 287 The Petition of Right (History of England, ch. 41 (v: 192-5))......Page 300 The Convention Parliament (History of England,ch. 71 (VI: 523-34))......Page 303 History of England, note W to ch. 53 (v: 568-7o)......Page 313 History of England, ch. 49 (v: 544-6)......Page 316 History of England, ch. 45 (v: 10-13)......Page 318 History of England, ch. 51 (v: 211-13)......Page 321 History of England, ch. 52 (v: 223-4 and 227-8)......Page 323 1. Of the liberty of the press (1741)......Page 326 2. That politics may be reduced to a science (1741)......Page 329 3· Of the first principles of government (1741)......Page 333 5· Of the independency of Parliament (1741)......Page 335 6. Whether the British govemment inclines more to absolute monarchy, or to a republic (1741)......Page 338 7· Of parties in general (1741)......Page 339 8. Of the parties of Great Britain (1741)......Page 341 9· Of superstition and enthusiasm (1741)......Page 349 10. Of civil liberty (1741)......Page 353 11. Of the rise and progress of the arts and sciences (1742)......Page 355 12. Of national characters (1748)......Page 360 13. Of commerce (1752)......Page 362 14. Of refinement in the arts (1752)......Page 363 15. Of money (1752)......Page 365 17. Of the balance of trade (175Z)......Page 366 18. Of the jealousy of trade (1758)......Page 369 19. Of the balance of power (1752)......Page 370 20. Of taxes (1752)......Page 375 21. Of public credit (1752)......Page 377 22. Of some remarkable customs (1752)......Page 380 23. Of the original contract (1748)......Page 383 24. Of passive obedience (1748)......Page 387 25. Of the coalition of parties (1758)......Page 388 26. Of the Protestant succession (1752)......Page 389 27. Idea of a perfect commonwealth (1752)......Page 393 Appendix: Excerpts from Hume's History of England......Page 396 Index......Page 397 David Hume is commonly known as one of the greatest philosophers to write in English. He was also one of the foremost political and economic theorists and one of the finest historians of the eighteenth century. His political essays reflect the entire range of his intellectual engagement with politics - as political philosophy, political observation and political history - and function as an extension of and supplement to works such as his Treatise of Human Nature and his History of England. The twenty-seven most important essays are presented in this fully annotated edition, together with excerpts from the History of England which illuminate their context. This major addition to the Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought will be of interest to students and scholars of politics, philosophy and the history of ideas