"Smith himself would have been surprised at the near universal acceptance of his theories, especially given changes in the world economy since the 18th century. This book provides a close reading of his work, revealing a complex intellect schooled in the high moral ideals of classical...

Introduction: the choices for wealth over health of nations -- 1. For economic growth and individualism over the land: Adam Smith -- 2. For deductive method and rent over poor relief: David Ricardo and Thomas Malthus -- 3. For maximizing wealth with social redistribution over production reform:...