Adam Smith into the Twenty First Century (The Shaftesbury Papers series, 7)

Adam Smith into the Twenty-First Century examines how Smith’s deliberations on constitutional economics can now be tested by current empirical work in the social sciences. Edwin West shows how Smith’s scepticism about the proposition that democracy is conducive to economic growth is supported by modern research. Current social science is also shown to support Smith’s views that government improves with the expansion of trade and that liberty is strongly associated with growing prosperity. Smith’s argument that personal freedom to act should be allowed providing that the “laws of justice” are not violated is compared with J.S. Mill’s view that liberty should be allowed except where “harm to others” may thereby be prevented. In Adam Smith into the Twenty-First Century, Professor West argues convincingly that Smith’s liberalism is not dead, but is enjoying a revival which will continue into the twenty-first century. Examines How Smith's Deliberations On Constitutional Economics Can Now Be Tested By Current Empirical Work In The Social Sciences, Including The Idea That Democracy Is Not Conducive To Economic Growth, That Government Improves With The Expansion Of Trade, And That Liberty Is Strongly Associated With Growing Prosperity.--back Cover. 1. Introduction -- 2. Institutional Structure As A Key To Growth -- 3. Virtue, Citizenship And Civilized Monarchies -- 4. Smith's Reservations About The Age Of Commerce: The Question Of Alienation -- 5. Adam Smith And Liberalism. Edwin G. West. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 57-61) And Index. An introduction to classical liberalism in the age of post-communism. This volume discusses such topics as: law and constitutionalism; constitutionalism and sovereignty; liberty and democracy; liberty; contractarian liberty; justice; and classical liberalism and civil society. 1 Introduction 1 2 Institutional Structure as a Key to Growth 4 3 Virtue, Citizenship and Civilized Monarchies 17 4 Smith’s Reservations about the Age of Commerce: The Question of Alienation 26 5 Adam Smith and Liberalism