ABSTRACT
David Hume’s thinking on money is notoriously protean, frequently escap-
ing our grasp and defying our best attempts to articulate it. This methodological pluralism-or inconsistency, to some-has given birth to a large and
vibrant interpretive literature, in which scholars have tirelessly posited their
versions of Hume’s thinking. While one may feel momentarily confident about
the validity of a particular interpretation after having read, for example, the
essay ‘‘Of Money,’’ the reading of a different text, say, ‘‘Of the Balance of
Trade’’ or A Treatise of Human Nature, more often problematizes than
corroborates one’s intuition. Still, even though it may be difficult to make
sense of Hume’s monetary theory when we approach his oeuvre synthetically, such a reading is a necessary exercise, because it is only by seeking an
understanding of Hume’s economic thinking within his political philosophy
and historical vision that we can begin to adequately grasp the complexity
of his analysis and thus appreciate the weight of his contribution.
