Abstract
In this chapter I show Adam Smith’s great admiration for the new free market economy that is exemplified by his report on the enormous productivity of the pin-factory. Smith attributes this great productivity to the division of labor which allows workers to specialize and which encourages them, out of self-interest, to look for machines to help in their work. On the demand side, the new economy relies on the human tendency to barter where self-interest replaces friendship as the means to get what one wants. This tendency to barter entices the system to produce what people want at the cheapest possible price. This is, according to Smith, the presence of a kind of “invisible hand.” It is not the result of a (government) plan. Next, I show that Smith, provides an argument that the help of the government is needed in the case of the provision of roads thereby prefiguring the modern concept of public goods. I show how Smith anticipates the modern concept of merit good in his discussion of education, monopolies and the need of governmental control of banking. Smith even discusses the danger of lobbying to influence the regulatory power of the state.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsNotes
- 1.
James Stanfield wrote a brief and perceptive article on several aspects of Smith’s views on education. See: http://research.ncl.ac.uk/egwest/articles/ieaarticles/Adam_Smith_on_Education.pdf
- 2.
This exception is not explicitly stated in Adam Smith. We need to add it to make the principle plausible. But I believe that Smith’s line of thinking is compatible with the exception I included.
Reference
Smith A (1937) The wealth of nations. The Modern Library, New York
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Eecke, W.V. (2013). Adam Smith and the Free Market. In: Ethical Reflections on the Financial Crisis 2007/2008. SpringerBriefs in Economics. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35091-7_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35091-7_2
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-35090-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-35091-7
eBook Packages: Business and EconomicsEconomics and Finance (R0)