Abstract

Hume examines a relation that dates back to the origins of western philosophy, the distinction between nature and artifice. Throughout his investigation of politics, he attempts to reconcile nature and artifice. As he constructs a natural definition of politics founded on sympathy for a common interest, as well as an artificial one which he attributes to rules governing the acquisition of property, it appears that he has formulated contradictory notions of politics. ;Government originates out of a need to promote order in society. This indicates a relation between a natural definition, sympathy for a common interest, and an artificial definition, rules used to impose order on society. At the same time, a contradiction emerges between the two definitions. ;Hume traces the origin of property in civil society to the distinction between 'mine and thine' which defines property as the ability of individuals to exclude others from using an object. This generates conflict in civil society, and is the reason why rules are needed to regulate the acquisition of property: but conflicts over property in civil society undermine sympathy for a common interest. Furthermore, for Hume there are no rational justifications for property. ;Hume manages to reconcile nature and artifice by formulating a theory of economic and political development. The historical development of the market becomes society's common interest. The market is a progressive force because it promotes economic development. In The History of England and the Essays, Hume constructs a form of government which is stable and allows for economic growth. The essay "Of the Perfect Commonwealth" demonstrates how Hume not only reconciles authority and liberty through a modern notion of mixed government, but it also describes a form of government which allows for economic growth, a modern version of mixed government. This government is ruled by law to counteract conflict among interests in society, which would undermine the political stability necessary for market relations. Hume's contribution to political theory is that he reconciles nature and artifice by providing a theory of economic and political development which combines interest and virtue and brings together Ancient and Modern political theory