Between Rights And Utility

David Hume is one of the famous thinkers of the Scotland Enlightenment in the 18th century. Hume was known for his empiricism and skepticism which woke Kant from the dogmatic slumbers. By comparison, Hume's political philosophy was ignored until the sixties and seventies of 20th century, when the western academic circle of political science found Hume and his political philosophy afresh, the relationship between Hume and modern liberalism has been paid attention. However, what is the relationship between Hume and liberalist tradition? What position did Hume occupy in the domain of liberalism? What is the theory trait of his political philosophy? What kinds of wisdom could Hume's political philosophy provide for modern liberalism? The questions mentioned above are important to both Hume and modern liberalism. The author of this article will carry out the study and analysis around these questions. As far as its essence is concerned, modern liberalism stems from the state theory of modern times, whose core is the relation between individual liberty and political authorities. As far as modern liberalism is concerned, it mainly contains three basic questions: firstly, which nature and pattern does the individual exist in, who composes the society and state? Secondly, what is the purpose and way that the individual gets into the society and state? Thirdly, what is the goal and nature of the state coming into being finally, and how does it work? Around these questions mentioned above, modern liberalism formed two basic traditions ----theory of right and theory of utility. Right and utility are not only two steps of modern liberalism's development, but also two different theoretical research way of its. Between right and utility, the status of Hume is worthy attention. He played himself outside of two traditions and was closely related with them. As far as time is concerned, Hume continued the theory of right from the past and inspired the theory of utility afterwards. As far as theory is concerned, Hume criticized the premise and logic of right—liberalism, but continued to have its theoretical consequences and explained them afresh according to utility factors. Behind him, Bentham was inspired from Hume's discussion of utility, and made utility as standard principle and constructed political theory with it. Until Mill, the theory has been improved further. So, as far as the tradition of modern liberalism is concerned, we can't ignore Hume and his political philosophy, furthermore, right and utility, two tradition of modern liberalism, are basic dimensions of Hume's political philosophy. Upon this basis, we puts Hume's political philosophy in the dimension of modern liberalism, makes the relationship between Hume and tradition of modern liberalism as the thread, analyses and explains the basic structure and theoretic intension of Hume's political philosophy according to theory of humanity, theory of justice and theory of government, finally summarizes and evaluates the relationship between them. Thence, the article is composed of five parts. The first, second and third chapters will take the relationship and difference between Hume and right---liberalism and utility----liberalism, analyse and explain the structure, intension and trait of Hume's political philosophy according to the logic structure----humanity, justice and government. The fifth and sixth chapterswill separately probe into the relation between Hume and liberalist view of liberty and state, evaluate the modern effect and value of Hume's political philosophy preliminarily. The question of human's essence is the premise of political philosophy, as well as the theoretic foundation of Hume's political philosophy. In view of this situation that academic circle paying more attention to philosophy level of Hume's humanity theory, and emphasized that destructive effect of skepticism of his political philosophy, the article firstly points out the root effect of Hume's humanity theory on his political philosophy, and emphasizes that critique is not the ultimate purpose, but the way he gets the scientific theory of humanity. Hume seeks a theoretical framework that can analyse scientifically humanity, and within this framework, he can criticize the two considerably influential views of medieval times and theory of right in modern times. The theoretical framework mainly embodies in Hume's analysis of reason. Hume's analysis of reason indicates that, firstly, so—called ultimate reason and existence of the God can't be testified, and the essence of human drawn from them can't be testified too. Secondly, reason is possible only when it is based on experience, reason based on experience is only probable, the necessary reason only exists in the thought. The rational judgement in real life including in the political life is only probable, experimental and limited. Based on rationalism, right---liberalism's judgement to the essence and value of human right can't be enough. Furthermore, Hume analyses the humanity from the angle of naturalism, and summarizes the basic principle of humanity. Though Bentham claimed that Hume sharpened his vigilance, he took the principle of utility as a standard principle not as a explanatory factor, and took the Greatest Happiness as the purpose of government, used it to measure government function and the rationalization of its policy. All of these make him depart from Hume thoroughly. The difference is necessary for us to understand Hume's political philosophy.Theory of justice is the main part of Hume's political philosophy. It answers these following questions: why and how do people get into the situation of politics and state? Why does it submit to politics and state? That is the origin of modern state and question of the legitimacy and the proper of politics. Based on the explanation of the logic and intension of Locke's the social contract or principle of political right, the article points out Hume's view about this question, that is deny and criticize the social contract or principle of political right for its character of rational moralism, and justice is closely related to property right, but is not as Locke said that property right stemmed from working, and justice was artificial ethic, it's basement was the feeling of justice, people considered it legitimate its use, and the formation of state and society stemmed from people's need of interest. Through the thorough analysis of Hume's theory of justice, the article actually responds the mistake to Hume's political philosophy in academic circle for a long period of time, that is Hume is only a critic of the social contract or principle of political right, has not a relatively integrated theoretical system. Hume's analysis and explanation of the questions such as the basis of humanity and the circumstances that the justice stems from, and of the relationship between the right of property and the principle of justice, indicates that Hume advocates knowing the basis of state and society based on emotion and interest. Hume's analysis of the series of questions, such as the difference between artificial ethics and natural ones, the principle of property and thought of justice, embodies a new theoretical way and model. The necessity and limitation of government authority is the logic conclusion of Hume's political philosophy. It is the common theoretic interest for Hume and the thinkers of theory of right and ones of theory of utility to emphasize the limitation of government and state. However, Hume is against the contract---reason logic of Locke, because he thinks it will lay a hidden danger of supporting revolution in political life. From the negative property ofright principle itself and the knowledge of humanity, Hume newly explains the theoretic basis of limited government. Hume transforms the emphasis on political legitimacy that thinkers of theory of right e.g. Locke held to the attention to actual questions such as how government realizes its function, that lays a foundation for utilitarian e.g. Bentham and Mill. But the theoretic difference on government between Hume and Bentham is obvious. Although utilitarian support the policy of liberalism, in their theory there are hidden support for government function and expanding state, which links up the modern liberalism in spirit. Liberty is the key concept of modern liberalism. On the base of analysis of structure and main content of Hume's political philosophy, the forth chapter will analyse the relationship between Hume and thought of modern liberalism. On the basis of liberty, Hume holds government is based on belief, this kind of belief is not based on human's reason, but on its feeling and belief stemming from interest. This thought differentiates from the traditional thought of reason---liberalism in western political circle. As far as the existing formation of liberty is concerned, Hume emphasizes that individual right of liberty doesn't exist abstractly and in isolation, but is defined by principle of property the society approves. Liberty is a series of principle, not individual isolated right, which removes the base of Locke's right—liberalism. As far as realization of liberty is concerned, Hume emphasizes that system of government is closely related with society, economy culture and so on, people can establish some kind of scientific politics according to general principle, but they must fully understand the complexity of this question. The realization of liberty doesn't depend on specific form of government, but on whether government follows the related principle of liberty, that is the principle of rule by law in the economic system of modern non—monopoly capitalism. Question of state is the ultimate theoretical settling place. The fifth chapter will sum up the relationship between Hume and the theory of the state...