Economics

Published in 1776, Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations was the first comprehensive treatment of political economy. Today it is considered one of the most influential books ever written and its author is regarded as the father of classical economics. Smith did for economics what Darwin did for science. Here Karen McCreadie interprets this inspiring book for the modern day world of finance, business and economics, illustrating the timeless nature of Smith's insights by bringing them to life with twenty-first century examples. Modern readers will discover:* How to improve productivity;* How to avoid divisive management;* Why you should pay your people well;* The importance of long-range thinking;* Why playing the lottery is no substitute for economic strategy.While we cannot know what Smith would have made of the excesses of capitalism we've already witnessed in the twenty-first century, the range of ideas inside demonstrates that The Wealth of Nations is every bit as relevant today as it was in 1776.This interpretation of Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations is not a substitute for the original. Its purpose is simply to illustrate the timeless nature of Smith's insights by bringing them to life with contemporary examples. Given the continuing turbulence of the global economy this brilliant interpretation of a classic of political economy couldn't be more timely.

Adam Smith was a philosopher before he ever wrote about economics, yet until now there has never been a philosophical commentary on the Wealth of Nations. Samuel Fleischacker suggests that Smith's vastly influential treatise on economics can be better understood if placed in the light of his epistemology, philosophy of science, and moral theory. He lays out the relevance of these aspects of Smith's thought to specific themes in the Wealth of Nations, arguing, among other things, that Smith regards social science as an extension of common sense rather than as a discipline to be approached mathematically, that he has moral as well as pragmatic reasons for approving of capitalism, and that he has an unusually strong belief in human equality that leads him to anticipate, if not quite endorse, the modern doctrine of distributive justice. Fleischacker also places Smith's views in relation to the work of his contemporaries, especially his teacher Francis Hutcheson and friend David Hume, and draws out consequences of Smith's thought for present-day political and philosophical debates. The Companion is divided into five general sections, which can be read independently of one another. It contains an index that points to commentary on specific passages in Wealth of Nations. Written in an approachable style befitting Smith's own clear yet finely honed rhetoric, it is intended for professional philosophers and political economists as well as those coming to Smith for the first time.