The Wealth of Nations Book 1

Name: The Wealth of Nations Book 1
Author: Adam Smith
ISBN: 9781802564716

Author: Adam Smith
Read by: Victoria Styles
Language: English
Length: 9 hours 3 minutes
ISBN: 9781802564716
Published: 2 April 2025
Imprint: Adelphi Press

capitalism
free markets
division of labor
invisible hand
economic theory
wealth creation
self-interest
trade
productivity
mercantilism

All titles

Description

"The Wealth of Nations" by Adam Smith is a groundbreaking economic treatise that explores the principles of capitalism, free markets, and wealth creation. Smith argues that self-interest, guided by an "invisible hand," drives innovation and prosperity, benefiting society as a whole. He critiques mercantilism, advocating for division of labor, competition, and minimal government intervention in trade. Through detailed analysis, Smith examines productivity, wages, profits, and taxation, laying the foundation for modern economics. His insights into human behavior and market dynamics remain influential, shaping theories on commerce, ethics, and societal progress.

Author

Adam Smith (1723–1790) taught Europe to look at bakers, pin-makers, and the division of labour as if they were as interesting as kings. The Wealth of Nations is a map of how nations grow rich; Moral Sentiments is a map of how we become decent. Smith is often recruited as a prophet of unfettered markets; the books are wiser and sterner than the slogan. He wrote with a lecturer's clarity and a novelist's eye for motive.

More by Adam Smith