Hume, David. Essays: Moral, Political, Literary. Edited by Eugene F. Miller. Indianapolis: Liberty Classics, 1985.
Hume critiques abstract theorizing about politics, favoring practical approaches grounded in the realities of human nature and society. In essays like “Of the Original Contract,” he rejects the idea that legitimate political authority arises from a hypothetical social contract, arguing instead that governments derive their legitimacy from long-standing practices and their ability to maintain stability and order. Similarly, in “Of the Balance of Power,” Hume highlights the importance of maintaining equilibrium among states to prevent domination and preserve liberty, reflecting his deep interest in the dynamics of power both within and between nations.
Hume’s political essays also address economic policy, highlighting its interconnectedness with governance. In “Of Commerce” and “Of Public Credit,” for example, he explores the role of economic prosperity in supporting political stability and individual liberty. Throughout his political essays, Hume emphasizes moderation, compromise, and the dangers of both unchecked power and utopian idealism. His writings remain a cornerstone of modern political philosophy, valued for their realistic insights into governance and their enduring relevance to debates on justice, liberty, and the role of the state.
From the publisher:
“As part of the tried and true model of informal essay writing, Hume began publishing his Essays: Moral, Political and Literary in 1741. The majority of these finely honed treatises fall into three distinct areas: political theory, economic theory and aesthetic theory.
Interestingly, Hume’s was motivated to produce a collection of informal essays given the poor public reception of his more formally written Treatise of Human Nature in 1739. He hoped that his work would be interesting not only to the educated man, but to the common man as well. He passionately argues that essays provide a forum for discussing his philosophy of ‘common life.'”