Hume: (English Men of Letters Series)

David Hume · en
Unfortunately the existence of rival or inimical nations furnishes
"kings and parliaments, fleets and armies," with a good deal of
occupation beyond the support of the twelve judges; and, though the
proposition that the State has no business to meddle with anything but
the administration of justice, seems sometimes to be regarded as an
axiom, it can hardly be said to be intuitively certain, inasmuch as a
great many people absolutely repudiate it; while, as yet, the attempt to
give it the authority of a revelation has not been made.

As Hume says with profound truth in the fourth essay, _On the First
Principles of Government_:--

     "As force is always on the side of the governed, the governors have
     nothing to support them but opinion. It is, therefore, on opinion
     only that government is founded; and this maxim extends to the most
     despotic and most military governments, as well as to the most free
     and the most popular."--(III. 31.)

But if the whole fabric of social organisation rests on opinion, it may
surely be fairly argued that, in the interests of self-preservation, if
for no better reason, society has a right to see that the means of
forming just opinions are placed within the reach of every one of its
members; and, therefore, that due provision for education, at any rate,
is a right and, indeed, a duty, of the state.

The three opinions upon which all government, or the authority of the
few over the many, is founded, says Hume, are public interest, right to
power, and right to property. No government can permanently exist,
unless the majority of the citizens, who are the ultimate depositary of
Force, are convinced that it serves the general interest, that it has
lawful authority, and that it respects individual rights:--

     "A government may endure for several ages, though the balance of
     power and the balance of property do not coincide.... But where the
     original constitution allows any share of power, though small, to
     an order of men who possess a large share of property, it is easy
     for them gradually to stretch their authority, and bring the
     balance of power to coincide with that of property. This has been
     the case with the House of Commons in England."--(III. 34.)

Hume then points out that, in his time, the authority of the Commons was
by no means equivalent to the property and power it represented, and
proceeds:--