THE END OF LAISSEZ-FAIRE

At the end of the seventeenth century thedivine right of monarchs gave place to NaturalLiberty and to the Compact, and the divineright of the Church to the principle of Tolera-tion , and to the view that a church is “avoluntary society of men,” 1 coming together,in a way which is “absolutely free and spon-taneous.” 1 Fifty years later the divine originand absolute voice of duty gave place to thecalculations of Utility. In the hands ofLocke and Hume these doctrines founded In-dividualism. The Compact presumed rightsin the individual ; the new ethics, being nomore than a scientific study of the conse-quences of rational self-love, placed the indi-vidual at the centre. “The sole troubleVirtue demands,” said Hume, “is that of justCalculation, and a steady preference of thegreater Happiness.” 2 These ideas accordedwith the practical notions of conservatives andof lawyers. They furnished a satisfactory

1 Locke , A Letter Concerning Toleration.

2 An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals,section lx.

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