An Essay on the History of Civil Society
A pioneering work of the Scottish Enlightenment in the field of “philosophical history”, or what we would today call sociology. It deals with the social, political, economic, intellectual, and legal changes which accompanied societies as they made the transition to modern commercial and manufacturing society.
An Essay on the History of Civil Society, 5th ed. (London: T. Cadell, 1782).
Copyright:
The text is in the public domain.
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Table of Contents
- CONTENTS
- AN ESSAY ON THE HISTORY OF CIVIL SOCIETY.
- PART FIRST.: Of the General Characteristics of Human Nature.
- SECTION I.: Of the question relating to the State of Nature.
- SECT. II.: Of the principles of Self-preservation.
- SECT. III.: Of the principles of Union among Mankind.
- SECT. IV.: Of the principles of War and Dissension.
- SECT. V.: Of Intellectual Powers.
- SECT. VI.: Of Moral Sentiment.
- SECT. VII.: Of Happiness.
- SECT. VIII.: The same subject continued.
- SECT. IX.: Of National Felicity.
- SECT. X.: The same Subject continued.
- PART SECOND.: OF THE HISTORY OF RUDE NATIONS.
- SECTION I.: Of the Informations on this Subject which are derived from Antiquity.
- SECT. II.: Of Rude Nations prior to the Establishment of Property.
- SECT. III.: Of Rude Nations under the Impressions of Property and Interest.
- PART THIRD.: OF THE HISTORY OF POLICY AND ARTS.
- SECTION I.: Of the Influences of Climate and Situation.
- SECT. II.: The History of political Establishments.
- SECTION III.: Of National Objects in general, and of Establishments and Manners relating to them.
- SECTION IV.: Of Population and Wealth.
- SECT. V.: Of National Defence and Conquest.
- SECTION VI.: Of Civil Liberty.
- SECTION VII.: Of the History of Arts.
- SECTION VIII.: Of the History of Literature.
- PART FOURTH.: Of Consequences that result from the Advancement of Civil and Commercial Arts.
- SECTION I.: Of the Separation of Arts and Professions.
- SECTION II.: Of the Subordination consequent to the Separation of Arts and Professions.
- SECTION III.: Of the Manners of Polished and Commercial Nations.
- SECTION IV.: The same Subject continued.
- PART FIFTH.: OF THE DECLINE OF NATIONS.
- SECTION I.: Of supposed National Eminence, and of the Vicissitudes of Human Affairs.
- SECTION II.: Of the Temporary Efforts and Relaxations of the National Spirit.
- SECTION III.: Of Relaxations in the National Spirit incident to Polished Nations.
- SECTION IV.: The same Subject continued.
- SECTION V.: Of National Waste.
- PART SIXTH.: of Corruption and Political Slavery.
- SECTION I.: Of Corruption in General.
- SECTION II.: Of Luxury.
- SECTION III.: Of the Corruption incident to Polished Nations.
- SECTION IV.: The same Subject continued.
- SECT. V.: Of Corruption, as it tends to Political Slavery.
- SECTION VI.: Of the Progress and Termination of Despotism.
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