Julian Hoppit (UCL)

Today, despite the best efforts of scholars over many years, it is commonly thought that Adam Smith founded modern economics and, related, was consistently hostile to state action. This course explores those questionable characterizations by considering selected parts of The wealth of nations dealing with how the British state has and might act. The last two classes considers two examples of the afterlife of Smith’s ideas about the state.

Two-hour classes focus upon a close reading of primary sources – usually a part of The wealth of nations and another contemporary text – all available online or via Moodle. The concern is to explore what Smith argued, but also how he argued, and on what basis.