What Is Self-Interest In Bernard Mandeville's Fable Of The Bees

Although, at the time the belief in the Catholic church was that self interest was both shameful and a sin, Bernard Mandeville and Adam Smith shared the belief that private vices are what became public benefits. They believed that self interest is what made society flourish. Mandeville believed that whatever an individual did, whether it was a “virtuous” action or greed, self interest was at the core of the action. An individuals act of self interest are what kept industry and the economy thriving. Mandeville believed that “a desire to create a purely virtuous society is based on a vain Utopia seated in the brain” this view can be seen in his writing “Fable of the Bees”. While Mandeville was often seen as cynical he was simply trying to say

While the general idea of Mandeville and Smith are that an individual’s motivation is simply self interest Voltaire and Paine believed that an individuals actions are based on morals. Voltaire began his journey to this idea through an attack on the intolerance of both the philosophy of church as well as church and states religions as a whole. Voltaire believed that everything can be explained by the interaction of an individual and society which is governed by God. He believed in the idea of morality. Morality is what Voltaire believed inspired harmony and that there is a need of some authority in order to have cooperation. Similar to Voltaire’s beliefs were those of Thomas Paine. As seen in “The Age of Reason” Paine clearly states his belief in God. He also held the belief of morals as a contributing factor to the progression of society. “I believe the equality of man, and I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavoring to make our fellow-creatures happy” (Age of Reason Part 1) here Paine is showing that morals and a world based around the Devine, but not directly linked to it, are what make society a happy and functioning place. However, further on Paine goes on to state that “My own mind is my own church” which shows that while