Adam Smith: A Moral Philosopher and His Political Economy (Great Thinkers in Economics)

This book presents the authentic Adam Smith and explores his underlying approach and radical thinking, aiming to re-establish his original intentions. The book provides a crucial reminder of how relevant Adam Smith was in his own time, and how relevant he remains as we experience the worldwide spread of opulence today. Western Europe, stagnant since the fall of Rome, showed signs of economic resurgence in the mid-18th century. Adam Smith was excited by the potential of this new era, and he was inspired to study the changes in Britain's evolving political institutions, the decline in the old verities of the church, the strengthening of the eternal verities of human sympathy, the ever-widening knowledge of his age, the momentous implications of the division of labour, the power of exchange, and faster growth through capital accumulation and an expanding labour force. This book presents the authentic Adam Smith and explores his underlying approach and radical thinking, aiming to re-establish his original intentions as articulated in his works and correspondence, which have been distorted by modern interpretations, assumptions and attributions. The book provides a crucial reminder of how relevant Adam Smith was in his own time, and how relevant he remains today in this era of globalisation Front Matter....Pages i-xiv General Introduction: Why Adam Smith?....Pages 1-12 ‘sufficient proofs of his fitness’....Pages 13-26 ‘in the first ages of society’....Pages 27-46 ‘so weak and imperfect a creature as man’....Pages 47-61 ‘in the beginning all the world was America’....Pages 62-78 ‘general principles of law and government’....Pages 79-97 ‘a certain propensity in human nature’....Pages 98-116 ‘had the original state of things continued’....Pages 117-130 ‘thus at last the age of commerce arises’....Pages 131-147 ‘setting to work industrious people’....Pages 148-167 ‘increasing the fund for productive hands’....Pages 168-186 ‘a very violent attack’....Pages 187-209 ‘an invisible hand’....Pages 210-226 ‘peace, easy taxes, and justice’....Pages 227-244 Adam Smith’s Legacy....Pages 245-264 Back Matter....Pages 265-287 "Western Europe, stagnant since the fall of Rome, showed signs of economic resurgence in the mid-18th century. Adam Smith was excited by the potential of this new era, and he was inspired to study the changes in Britain's evolving political institutions. This book presetns the authentic Adam Smith and explores his underlying approach and radial thinking, aiming to re-establish his original intentions as articulated in his works and correspondence, which have been distorted by modern interpretations, assumptions and attributions."--Jacket