ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the main principles of North's practical philosophy by extracting from a wide range of his writings what is consistent in his pattern of thought. In 'reading' his texts not entered as a literal interpreter, for example, by explicating the grammatical meaning of his words. By contrast, North's morality of self-governance is a direct pursuit of the good not only for himself but also for others. Although achieving the common good requires upholding law and order for the conduct of people and government, law still has to embody principles of fairness not only between person and person but also in its public administration. North sometimes uses masks drawn from his experience in the common law; other dimensions of a person of honour might be drawn from common-law criteria for witnesses and jurors. Although North acknowledges that human failings are common and universal, he denies that people are naturally depraved.
