Ideas from 'Of the First Principles of Government' by David Hume [1750], by Theme Structure
[found in 'Selected Essays' by Hume,David [OUP 1996,978-0-19-954030-3]].
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25. Social Practice / C. Rights / 1. Basis of Rights
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21094
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There are two kinds of right - to power, and to property
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Full Idea:
Right is of two kinds: right to power and right to property.
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From:
David Hume (Of the First Principles of Government [1750], p.25)
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A reaction:
These seem to be positive rights. No mention of the right not be to unjustly abused. It is hard to find any sort of radical political thinking in Hume. His empirical scepticism extends to his politics. He approves of modern consitutional monarchy.
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25. Social Practice / C. Rights / 4. Property rights
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21095
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It is an exaggeration to say that property is the foundation of all government
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Full Idea:
A noted author has made property the foundation of all government; and most of our political writers seem inclined to follow him in that particular. This is carrying the matter too far.
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From:
David Hume (Of the First Principles of Government [1750], p.25)
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A reaction:
This obviously refers to John Locke. Locke's idea strikes me as hideous. It says the foundation of government is the right of property owners to protect what they have against non-owners. It implies social exclusion in the constitution.
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