Description
Book SynopsisThis is a study of Hume's political thought based on a survey of all his writings and is presented in its historical context as an innovative, 'philosophical', empirically based system of politics for a radical post-revolutionary age, and a political education for parochial, backward-looking party men.
Trade ReviewReview of the hardback: 'Mr Forbes succeeds admirably as Hume's philosophical politics is scrupulously analysed against the background of events and thought of his predecessors and contemporaries … Specialists in eighteenth-century English history and philosophy should welcome this addition to Hume scholarship and perhaps it may be regarded as a standard work …' History
Table of ContentsIntroductory preface; Abbreviations; Part I. The Foundations of Politics: 1. The experimental method in morals: the natural law forerunners; 2. A modern theory of Natural Law; 3. Political obligation for 'moderate men'; 4. Social experience and the uniformity of human nature; Part II. Philosophical Politics: 5. Scientific and vulgar Whiggism; 6. Applied philosophy, genuine and false: Hume and the Court and Country parties in 1741–1742; 7. The primacy of political institutions; Part III. Philosophical History: 8. The History of England: philosophical history as establishment history; 9. The limits of philosophical history; Appendix; Bibliography; Index.
