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Wealth, Commerce, and Corruption in Hume, Smith, and Ferguson

This reading list is designed to explore the views of Adam Ferguson (1723-1816) on wealth, commerce, and corruption and to compare them with those of David Hume and Adam Smith. Many members of the Scottish Enlightenment thought that increasing wealth and liberty would lead to the improvement of mankind. Others, like Ferguson, were concerned that corruption would be the result and lead to the decline of modern societies. We will be using his book An Essay on the History of Civil Society (1767).

For further reading see:

• Adam Ferguson (1723-1816)
• David Hume (1711-1776)
• Adam Smith (1723-1790)
• School of Thought: The Scottish Enlightenment
• Topic: Progress

• Session I: Hume on Commercial Societies

  Read the first 4 essays on economics in Hume’s Essays:

  • Essay I: Of Commerce
  • Essay II: Of Refinement In the Arts
  • Essay III: Of Money
  • Essay IV: Of Interest

  David Hume, Essays Moral, Political, Literary, edited and with a Foreword, Notes, and Glossary by Eugene F. Miller, with an appendix of variant readings from the 1889 edition by T.H. Green and T.H. Grose, revised edition (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund 1987). Chapter: PART II: ESSAYS MORAL, POLITICAL, AND LITERARY

  Accessed from oll.libertyfund.org/title/704/137524 on 2008-08-21

• Session II Reading 1: Smith on Nature and Custom

  Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, ed. D.D. Raphael and A.L. Macfie, vol. I of the Glasgow Edition of the Works and Correspondence of Adam Smith (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1982). Chapter: PART IV: Of the Effect of Utility upon the Sentiment of Approbation a Consisting of One Section a

  Accessed from oll.libertyfund.org/title/192/122463 on 2008-08-21

• Session II Reading 2: Smith on Nature and Custom

  Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, ed. D.D. Raphael and A.L. Macfie, vol. I of the Glasgow Edition of the Works and Correspondence of Adam Smith (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1982). Chapter: PART V: Of the Influence of Custom and Fashion upon the Sentiments of Moral Approbation and Disapprobation a Consisting of One Section a

  Accessed from oll.libertyfund.org/title/192/122469 on 2008-08-21

• Session III: Ferguson on Nature, Happiness, and the National Greatness

  Adam Ferguson, An Essay on the History of Civil Society, 5th ed. (London: T. Cadell, 1782). Chapter: PART FIRST.: Of the General Characteristics of Human Nature.

  Accessed from oll.libertyfund.org/title/1428/19702 on 2008-08-21

• Session IV: Ferguson on Property, Law, and Spontaneous Order

  Read all of Part II (On the History of Rude Nations) and most of Part III (Of the History of Policy and Arts) for this session.

  Adam Ferguson, An Essay on the History of Civil Society, 5th ed. (London: T. Cadell, 1782). Chapter: PART SECOND.: OF THE HISTORY OF RUDE NATIONS.

  Accessed from oll.libertyfund.org/title/1428/19724 on 2008-08-21

• Session IV Reading 2 and Session V Reading I: Ferguson on Progress

  Adam Ferguson, An Essay on the History of Civil Society, 5th ed. (London: T. Cadell, 1782). Chapter: PART THIRD.: OF THE HISTORY OF POLICY AND ARTS.

  Accessed from oll.libertyfund.org/title/1428/19732 on 2008-08-21

• Session V Reading 2: Ferguson on Progress

  Read the remainder of Part III and most of Part IV for this session.

  Adam Ferguson, An Essay on the History of Civil Society, 5th ed. (London: T. Cadell, 1782). Chapter: PART FOURTH.: Of Consequences that result from the Advancement of Civil and Commercial Arts.

  Accessed from oll.libertyfund.org/title/1428/19750 on 2008-08-21

• Session VI Reading 1: Ferguson on Corruption

  Adam Ferguson, An Essay on the History of Civil Society, 5th ed. (London: T. Cadell, 1782). Chapter: PART FIFTH.: OF THE DECLINE OF NATIONS.

  Accessed from oll.libertyfund.org/title/1428/19760 on 2008-08-21

• Session VI Reading 2: Ferguson on Corruption

  Adam Ferguson, An Essay on the History of Civil Society, 5th ed. (London: T. Cadell, 1782). Chapter: PART SIXTH.: of Corruption and Political Slavery.

  Accessed from oll.libertyfund.org/title/1428/19772 on 2008-08-21