What is David Hume's theory of the origins of property?

Hume believes that we are driven by our passions to acquire certain goods. One of the most important of such goods is property, which man acquires through a combination of hard work and good fortune. In his analysis of property, Hume attempts to show that there's nothing particularly rational about its origins; it is purely a product of human desires and passions. However, once we've acquired property, we need to put in place structures of law and government that will protect what we've come to acquire. As well as the passions that lead to the acquisition of property, man is also subject to rather different, more dangerous passions, that can lead to violence, disorder, and the forcible seizure of other people's goods. It is from these passions that the institution of property must be protected.
According to Hume, therefore, property is both natural and conventional. It's natural in that it arises out of a passion shared by all men before they enter into society; and it's conventional in that its legal protection is the product of institutions artificially constructed for the purpose. Once established and secured, property can maximize utility, conducing to the greatest good of the greatest number in society. If everyone can see that industry and virtue are given their appropriate reward, then thinks Hume, they will be encouraged to develop similar habits themselves. In turn, this will greatly increase the stability and prosperity of society as a whole.

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