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SMITH AT 300: MEN OF BLESSED AND BEGUILING INGENUITY

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 February 2023

Scott Drylie*
Affiliation:
Air Force Institute of Technology. The views expressed in this paper are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the US Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the US government.

Extract

Adam Smith’s excellence in the art of belles lettres is well known and is on vivid display in his most memorable quotes, enriching his arguments and augmenting their impact. Sometimes, however, the effects of time obscure his artistry and purpose. The following passage from the Wealth of Nations ([1776] 1981; WN) is one such example. It contains an overlooked expression of Smith’s liberal vision and serves to encourage further exploration of the relationship between form and substance in his writing.

Type
Symposium: Smith at 300
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the History of Economics Society

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References

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