Adam Ferguson's Essay on the History of Civil Society (first published in 1767) is a classic of the Scottish-and European-Enlightenment. Drawing on such diverse sources as classical authors and contemporary travel literature, Ferguson combines a subtle analysis of modern commercial society with a critique of its abandonment of civic and communal virtues. Central themes in Ferguson's theory of citizenship are conflict, play, political participation and military valor. The Essay is a bold and novel attempt to reclaim the tradition of active citizenship in the modern state. | Ferguson: An Essay On The History Of Civil Society by Adam Ferguson, Paperback | Indigo Chapters