Against the Grain

Adam Smith’s Moral Philosophy

Adam Smith is regarded as the father of the free market, based on the notion that if we follow our self-interest without the intervention of governments, it will lead to the best possible outcome.  But his moral philosophy has been forgotten or discarded by his supposed disciples.  A documentary series, which features the likes of David Harvey, Ha-Joon Chang, and Noam Chomsky, shows how Smith’s arguments about the division of labor, self-interest, and the invisible hand of the market have been distorted to justify rampant greed.

One response to “Adam Smith’s Moral Philosophy

  1. Smith’s views about the division of labor, self-interest, and the invisible hand are themselves distortions of human activity. “It cannot be, when the root is neglected, that what should spring from it will be well ordered.” (The Great Learning)

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