We are excited to join our partners at Liberty Matters in commemorating the 250th anniversary of the release of An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations by presenting a series of six weekly essays.
In this fourth installment, Brianne Wolf delves into Book IV of Wealth of Nations, where Adam Smith critiques the mercantile system, which he vigorously contests throughout his work. Here’s an excerpt from the essay:
While Adam Smith is often regarded merely as the father of economics, contemporary scholars increasingly recognize that the two major works published during his lifetime, Theory of Moral Sentiments and Wealth of Nations, are not isolated undertakings in moral philosophy and political economy. Rather, they represent different perspectives on a singular pursuit: the realization of human flourishing. Although it is acknowledged that Smith’s moral philosophy enriches and supports his economic theories, the moral implications of his political economy have received less attention.
