It’s fair to say that David Hume and Adam Smith have been widely regarded, by friends and enemies alike, as champions of the rule of law and (perhaps this is the same side of the coin) critics of rent-seeking. I have no interest in undermining this idea in general, but it’s worth being alert to an important political exception that provides some nuance to their position.
Hume's and Smith's defense of Clientelism.
Hume's and Smith's defense of Clientelism.
Hume's and Smith's defense of Clientelism.
It’s fair to say that David Hume and Adam Smith have been widely regarded, by friends and enemies alike, as champions of the rule of law and (perhaps this is the same side of the coin) critics of rent-seeking. I have no interest in undermining this idea in general, but it’s worth being alert to an important political exception that provides some nuance to their position.