| The Wealth of Nations: Books I-III Contributor(s): Smith, Adam (Author), Skinner, Andrew (Introduction by) |
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ISBN: 0140432086 ISBN-13: 9780140432084 Publisher: Penguin Group OUR PRICE: $14.40 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: March 1982 Annotation: It is in Books IV and V of The Wealth of Nations that Adam Smith offers his considered response to the French Physiocrats, perhaps the first great school of economic theorists, and assesses the nature of the mercantile system, particularly the colonial relationship with America, whose achievements could have been even more spectacular if conditions of free trade and economic union had existed. Even on the eve of the Declaration of Independence, Smith famously predicted that America "will be one of the foremost nations of the world." It is also here that he develops the case for a limited state role in economic planning, notably to combat market failure and induce efficiency in areas such as education, public works, justice, and defense. His pioneering analysis still provides many subtle and penetrating insights into one of today's most vital and controversial policy debates. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Business & Economics | Economics - Theory - Business & Economics | Economic History - History | United States - Colonial Period (1600-1775) |
| Dewey: 330.09 |
| Lexile Measure: 1500 |
| Series: Penguin Classics |
| Physical Information: 0.99" H x 5.07" W x 7.76" (0.85 lbs) 570 pages |
| Themes: - Chronological Period - 18th Century |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: The classic economic treatise that insipired Thomas Piketty's Capital in the Twenty-First Century The publication of The Wealth of Nations in 1776 coincided with America's Declaration of Independence, and with this landmark treatise on political economy, Adam Smith paved the way for modern capitalism, arguing that a truly free market - fired by competition yet guided as if by an 'invisible hand' to ensure justice and equality - was the engine of a fair and productive society. Books I - III of The Wealth of Nations examine the 'division of labour' as the key to economic growth, by ensuring the interdependence of individuals within society. They also cover the origins of money and the importance of wages, profit, rent and stocks, but the real sophistication of his analysis derives from the fact that it encompasses a combination of ethics, philosophy and history to create a vast panorama of society. This edition contains an analytical introduction offering an in-depth discussion of Smith as an economist and social scientist, as well as a preface, further reading and explanatory notes by Andrew Skinner. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators. |