Is It Really Commercial Activity that Civilizes?
Document Type
Essay
Publication Title
Law & Liberty
Publication Date
6-26-2017
Abstract
(Excerpt)
Don’t let references to “the dismal science” fool you. Classical liberal economics is actually a pretty optimistic way to look at life.
Liberals maintain that markets create wealth, promote mutual gain, and unlock talents and resources in individuals and nations. And, they say, markets have political benefits. Since the Enlightenment, liberals have argued that markets promote civic pluralism by making people more reasonable and prudent; less given to political and, especially, religious enthusiasm; and eager to avoid divisive debates about deep commitments.
That markets have these advantages is known as the doux commerce thesis. (That’s doux as in soft, or having a softening effect.) The thesis is most closely associated with the Baron de Montesquieu and Voltaire, though David Hume and Adam Smith endorsed it, too. In a very fine new book, The Dignity of Commerce: Markets and the Moral Foundations of Contract Law, contracts scholar Nathan B. Oman advances a version of the theory, updated to take account of current contract doctrine. Oman, a law professor at William and Mary Law School, combines immense learning and sophistication with a lightness of touch that makes his book a pleasure to read.
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Originally published at: https://www.lawliberty.org/book-review/is-it-really-commercial-activity-that-civilizes/