The Afterlife of Adam Smith: The Influence, Interpretation and Misinterpretation of His Economic Philosophy, 1760s-2010s

by William Farina

Overview

Mark Twain once quipped that a "classic [is] something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read." This definition fits Adam Smith's timeless work The Wealth of Nations, published in 1776 on the eve of the American Revolution. For more than two centuries, partisans and pundits across the political spectrum have selectively quoted (or purported to quote) Smith's masterpiece of economic theory in support of legislative agendas and public policy.

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 philosophy, yet firmly grounded in the pragmatism of international trade and commerce.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781476623603
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	08/13/2015
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	248
File size:	4 MB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

William Farina is a retired real estate consultant for the federal government, now living in Evanston, Illinois. He has written books on Arthurian legend, early Christianity, the American Civil War, Shakespeare and baseball.
William Farina is a retired real estate consultant for the federal government, now living in Evanston, Illinois. He has written books on Arthurian legend, early Christianity, the American Civil War, Shakespeare and baseball.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. Businessmen Become Revolutionaries (1764–1777)
2. A New Republic Grapples with Old Issues (1778–1790)
3. The British Empire Makes War Against Its Offspring (1791–1815)
4. Almost Free Labor (1816–1837)
5. Might Makes Right (1838–1850)
6. Northern Industry Tames Southern Agriculture (1851–1865)
7. More Competition, More Oppression (1866–1877)
8. The Great American Relocation (1878–1890)
9. A Clumsy Foray into Colonialism (1891–1901)
10. Trustbuster (1901–1913)
11. Anglo-American Power Shift (1914–1921)
12. Ascendant Consumerism (1922–1928)
13. The Implosion of ­Laissez-Faire (1929–1939)
14. An Unprecedented Middle Class (1941–1959)
15. Military-Industrial Complex (1960–1975)
16. Tax Credit Utopia (1976–1988)
17. A Kinder and Gentler Corporate Mandate (1989–2000)
18. Post 9-11 (2001–2015)
Summary206
Chapter Notes
Selected Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

well researched, compelling, and well worth reading. Recommended”—Choice.

From the Publisher