Tag Archives: Wealth Of Nations

An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (generally referred to by the short title The Wealth of Nations) is the Magnum Opus of the Scottish economist and moral philosopher Adam Smith. First published in 1776, it is a reflection on economics at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution and argues that free market economies are more productive and beneficial to their societies. The book, written for the educated, is considered to be the foundation of modern economic theory.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Cover
Table of Contents
Preface, by Edwin Cannan
Editor’s Introduction, by Edwin Cannan
Volume I
Introduction and Plan of the Work
Book I: Of the Causes of Improvement…
I.1. Of the Division of Labor
I.2. Of the Principle which gives Occasion to the Division of Labour
I.3. That the Division of Labour is Limited by the Extent of the Market
I.4. Of the Origin and Use of Money
I.5. Of the Real and Nominal Price of Commodities, or of their Price in Labour, and their Price in Money
I.6. Of the Component Parts of the Price of Commodities
I.7. Of the Natural and Market Price of Commodities
I.8. Of the Wages of Labour
I.9. Of the Profits of Stock
I.10. Of Wages and Profit in the Different Employments of Labour and Stock
I.11. Of the Rent of Land
Tables for I.11.
Book II: Of the Nature, Accumulation, and Employment of Stock
II. Introduction
II.1. Of the Division of Stock
II.2. Of Money Considered as a particular Branch of the General Stock of the Society…
II.3. Of the Accumulation of Capital, or of Productive and Unproductive Labour
II.4. Of Stock Lent at Interest
II.5. Of the Different Employment of Capitals
Book III: Of the different Progress of Opulence in different Nations
III.1. Of the Natural Progress of Opulence
III.2. Of the Discouragement of Agriculture in the Ancient State of Europe after the Fall of the Roman Empire
III.3. Of the Rise and Progress of Cities and Towns, after the Fall of the Roman Empire
III.4. How the Commerce of the Towns Contributed to the Improvement of the Country
Book IV: Of Systems of political Œconomy
IV. Introduction
IV.1. Of the Principle of the Commercial or Mercantile System
IV.2. Of Restraints upon the Importation from Foreign Countries of such Goods as can be Produced at Home
IV.3. Of the extraordinary Restraints upon the Importation of Goods of almost all Kinds, from those Countries with which the Balance is supposed to be Disadvantageous
Volume II
IV.4. Of Drawbacks
IV.5. Of Bounties
IV.6. Of Treaties of Commerce
IV.7. Of Colonies
IV.8. Conclusion of the Mercantile System
IV.9. Of the Agricultural Systems, or of those Systems of Political Œconomy, which Represent the Produce of Land, as either the Sole or the Principal, Source of the Revenue and Wealth of Every Country
Book V: Of the Revenue of the Sovereign or Commonwealth
V.1. Of the Expences of the Sovereign or Commonwealth
V.2. Of the Sources of the General or Public Revenue of the Society
V.3. Of Public Debts
Appendix
Footnotes (Book I, Ch. I-IX)
Footnotes (Book I, Ch. X-XI)
Footnotes (Books II-III)
Footnotes (Book IV)
Footnotes (Book V)
About the Book and Author

Wealth Of Nations Books on Amazon.com

Book Name: Wealth of Nations (Great Minds Series)

Political economy had been studied long before Adam Smith. But “Wealth of Nations” (1776) established it for the first time as a separate science. Smith based his arguments on vast historical knowledge, and developed his principles with remarkable clarity. What set this work apart was its statement of the doctrine of natural liberty. Smith believed that ‘man’s self-interest is God’s providence’ – that if government abstained from interfering with free competition, the invisible hand of capitalism would emerge from the competing claims of individual self-interest. Industrial problems would be resolved and maximum efficiency reached. After more than two centuries, Smith’s work still stands as the best statement and defence of the fundamental principles of capitalism.