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Wealth, Commerce, and Corruption in Hume, Smith, and Ferguson
This List Is By:
Liberty Fund Staff
Liberty Fund, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
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
The copyright to this edition, in both print and electronic forms, is held by Liberty Fund, Inc.
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
The Glasgow Edition of the Works and Correspondence of Adam Smith and the associated volumes are published in hardcover by Oxford University Press. The six titles of the Glasgow Edition, but not the associated volumes, are being published in softcover by Liberty Fund. The online edition is published by Liberty Fund under license from Oxford University Press.
©Oxford University Press 1976. All rights reserved. No part of this material may be stored transmitted retransmitted lent or reproduced in any form or medium without the permission of Oxford University Press.
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
The Glasgow Edition of the Works and Correspondence of Adam Smith and the associated volumes are published in hardcover by Oxford University Press. The six titles of the Glasgow Edition, but not the associated volumes, are being published in softcover by Liberty Fund. The online edition is published by Liberty Fund under license from Oxford University Press.
©Oxford University Press 1976. All rights reserved. No part of this material may be stored transmitted retransmitted lent or reproduced in any form or medium without the permission of Oxford University Press.
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
The text is in the public domain.
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
The text is in the public domain.
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
The text is in the public domain.
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
The text is in the public domain.
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
The text is in the public domain.
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
The text is in the public domain.