Adam Smith’s Embrace of Commercial Society: Insights from The Wealth of Nations, Book 3

If I were to identify the most significant passage in Adam Smith’s writings, I would undoubtedly select the pivotal assertion found in Book III of The Wealth of Nations: “Commerce and manufactures gradually introduced order and good government, along with liberty and security for individuals, among inhabitants who previously existed in a state of continuous warfare with their neighbors and were subservient to their superiors. Although this might be the least recognized factor, it is by far the most crucial of all the outcomes” (WN III.iv.4). Smith is widely regarded as a staunch advocate of commercial society, and this statement poignantly encapsulates his view on its profound benefits: the enhancement of liberty and security ranks above all other effects of commerce. To grasp how commerce contributes to the promotion of liberty and security, and why this is essential according to Smith, it is beneficial to consider the overarching narrative presented in Book III.