Hume's liberalism: An early theory of social capital (David Hume)

This study examines the relation between Hume's justice and his moral theory in regard to the role of a virtuous body of citizenry in politics. It is often argued that classical liberals detached the connection between virtue and politics and relied on enlightened interest and the state to establish and maintain social order. Yet, Humean liberalism reveals that this is a misleading generalization. In this study, I argue that Hume's politics has two fundamental components: the state (institutions) and a virtuous body of citizenry. Hume's developmental view of human nature allows him to argue that in parallel to the development of human society and because of private training and education, our moral sense improves. The improvement of moral sense creates new motives in individuals which cannot be reduced to self-interest. Hume relies on the improvement of moral sense to facilitate social cooperation in large modern society in addition to the state and self-interest. This study reveals that liberal thought cannot be reduced to its Hobbesian version.