Adam Smith, Adam Ferguson and the division of labour
Date
2004
Authors
Hill, L.
Editors
Beasley, C.
Hill, L.
ohnson, C.J.
McCarthy, G.
Macintyre, C.
Hill, L.
ohnson, C.J.
McCarthy, G.
Macintyre, C.
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Conference paper
Citation
Proceedings of the Australasian Political Studies Association Conference, University of Adelaide, 29 September - 1 October 2004 : pp. www 1-39
Statement of Responsibility
Lisa Hill
Conference Name
Australasian Political Studies Association Conference (2004 : Adelaide, South Australia)
Abstract
Although some scholars have attempted to cast Adam Smith as a thinker deeply interested in politics and focused upon the importance of the role of legislators in human affairs, this paper suggests that Smith’s project is basically an exercise in anti-politics. Though he did, of course, reserve some limited functions for government in order to solve a number of otherwise intractable problems of collective action, on the whole, Smith regarded politicians and legislators as factious, interfering, self-interested and generally knavish; more likely to disrupt the system of natural liberty (and therefore the prosperity and harmony of the polity) than aid it. Though Smith did express strong political opinions on a number of specific issues (for example, the separation of church and state; the management of Scottish affairs; American independence and the use of standing armies) this paper suggests that readings of Smith as positively political are exaggerated.
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