Berry, Christopher J

Adam Smith : a very short introduction - Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2018 - xix, 128 p.; ill. 18 cm - Very short introductions ; 582 .

Includes bibliographical references and index.

In 1776 Adam Smith (1723-90) wrote 'The Wealth of Nations', a book so foundational it has led to him being called the 'father of economics'. Today he is associated with the promotion of self-interest, a defence of greed and a criticism of any governmental 'interference' in market transactions which, if left to the 'invisible hand', will produce prosperity and liberty. Yet if Smith is actually read these associations are more a caricature than a faithful portrait. 0In this 'Very Short Introduction', Christopher Berry offers a balanced and nuanced view of this seminal thinker, embedding his fierce defence of free trade, competition, and assault on special interests in contemporary European history, politics, and philosophy. As Berry explores, Smith was far more than an economist. His book 'The Theory of Moral Sentiment', offered a complex account of ethics in the context of human social behaviour. His scope as a professor at the University of Glasgow, a major centre of the Scottish Enlightenment, was extensive. Beyond courses in philosophy and jurisprudence he also gave classes covering history, literature, and language. In addition to his two major works he also wrote a pioneering study of the history of astronomy as an illustration of the motivations that drive humans to seek answers to questions.

9780198784456


Smith, Adam, 1723-1790
Great Britain
Benevolence
Desires
Emotions
Habits
Human nature
Imagination
Justice
Interest
Labour
Moral Sentiments
Needs
Opulence
Poverty
Trade
Rhetoric
Social change
Virtue
Commercial society
Wealth of Nation

330.153092 / BER

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