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.
Pages:
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29