Cantillon , Hume and the Rise of Anti - Mercantilism

David Hume and Adam Smith are considered the founding fathers of anti-mercantilism, economics, and the Scottish Enlightenment. However, scholars have long recognized a similarity between Hume’s contributions and those of Richard Cantillon. Evidence is presented here that suggests that Hume would have known of Cantillon and would have been interested in reading the manuscript, and that he met people from Cantillon’s intellectual circle who could have provided him with a copy of the manuscript. Other evidence from Hume’s notebooks also suggests that he may have read the manuscript. This connection, if it exists, would explain the similarities between Cantillon and Hume and would make Cantillon an influence on both Hume and Smith and thus a pivotal figure in the development of anti-mercantilist thought. Dr. Mark Thornton Senior Fellow Ludwig von Mises Institute 518 West Magnolia Avenue Auburn, AL 36832-4528 334-321-2106 Fax=321-2119 mthornton@mises.org Comments and suggestions welcomed. Please do not quote without permission.