Resentment, injury, and the moralization of justice in Hume

This paper investigates the role of the passions in Hume’s moral philosophy by focusing on resentment, its nature, and its contribution to justice. Drawing on the Trea- tise of Human Nature and the second Enquiry, I first argue that Hume offers a nuanced and plausible account of this passion, illuminating key aspects of our moral psychology and everyday evaluative practices. Building on this account, I then show how resent- ment shapes Hume’s theory of justice in two ways: first, by playing a central role in the moralization of justice, and second, by acting as a stabilizing force that sustains moral sentiments once justice is moralized. This second task requires explaining why violations of property are experienced as injuries, which I address through the connection between property and a particular class of virtues—helping to clarify why disruptions of property relations are morally significant.