Natura e classificazione dei partiti : la "scoperta" di David Hume

David Hume is the author of the first classification of parties in the history of political thought. He distinguishes between parties of "interest", "principle" and "devotion", and considers only the first as the most reasonable. The others are nothing more than sources of discord in a nation, because they generate sectarianism and fanaticism, which are very dangerous for the government stability. This essay shows that, contrary to what some scholars have written in the past decades, Hume, overcoming Bolingbroke and anticipating Burke in accepting political parties, does not critizise the existence of factions so much. He demonstrates their inevitability, as their lack of "moderation" and degeneration in fanatic sects. The author also focuses on some aspects of the Hume's doctrine of parties, which are extremely relevant in the current analysis of political science. [Publisher's text].