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Adam Smith

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Adam Smith


Born
in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland
June 16, 1723

Died
July 17, 1790

Genre

Influences


For other authors of this name, see Adam Smith.

Adam Smith FRSA FRS FRSE was a Scottish philosopher and economist who was a pioneer in thinking on political economy and a key figure during the Scottish Enlightenment. He wrote two classic works, The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759) and An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776). The latter, often abbreviated as The Wealth of Nations, is considered his magnum opus and the first modern work that treats economics as a comprehensive system and as an academic discipline.

Authorities recorded his baptism on 16 June 1723 at Kirkcaldy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Smith
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Average rating: 3.9 · 44,069 ratings · 2,131 reviews · 1,348 distinct worksSimilar authors
An Inquiry into the Nature ...

3.88 avg rating — 35,301 ratings — published 1776 — 28 editions
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The Theory of Moral Sentiments

4.07 avg rating — 4,469 ratings — published 1759 — 370 editions
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The Invisible Hand

3.64 avg rating — 624 ratings — published 1759 — 24 editions
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The Wealth of Nations

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3.91 avg rating — 348 ratings36 editions
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An Inquiry into the Nature ...

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3.92 avg rating — 278 ratings — published 1776 — 230 editions
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An Inquiry into the Nature ...

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3.94 avg rating — 202 ratings — published 1776 — 267 editions
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Wealth of Nations

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3.85 avg rating — 187 ratings — published 1776 — 4 editions
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The Essential Adam Smith

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3.81 avg rating — 178 ratings — published 1986 — 10 editions
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The Wealth of Nations, Book...

4.05 avg rating — 164 ratings — published 1776 — 17 editions
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The Wealth of Nations Books...

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3.76 avg rating — 151 ratings29 editions
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More books by Adam Smith…
Quotes by Adam Smith  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“The great source of both the misery and disorders of human life, seems to arise from over-rating the difference between one permanent situation and another. Avarice over-rates the difference between poverty and riches: ambition, that between a private and a public station: vain-glory, that between obscurity and extensive reputation. The person under the influence of any of those extravagant passions, is not only miserable in his actual situation, but is often disposed to disturb the peace of society, in order to arrive at that which he so foolishly admires. The slightest observation, however, might satisfy him, that, in all the ordinary situations of human life, a well-disposed mind may be equally calm, equally cheerful, and equally contented. Some of those situations may, no doubt, deserve to be preferred to others: but none of them can deserve to be pursued with that passionate ardour which drives us to violate the rules either of prudence or of justice; or to corrupt the future tranquillity of our minds, either by shame from the remembrance of our own folly, or by remorse from the horror of our own injustice.”
Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments

“Civil government, so far as it is instituted for the security of property, is in reality instituted for the defense of the rich against the poor, or of those who have some property against those who have none at all.”
Adam Smith

“Science is the great antidote to the poison of enthusiasm and superstition.”
Adam Smith, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations

Polls

55838
Spotlighted Book Discussion Poll I - October 26, 2011

This is a poll that adds other books to our listing of potential non fiction books to discuss and also helps the moderators determine which one or ones are the most popular. Since we have many more group members than when we first started; voting in the polls is very important. There will be a series of polls. Many of these books have been recommended by group members but were either not selected before nor voted upon before.

Vote for the book that you would most like to read and/or is the book that you believe that would appeal to the most group members.

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