Adam Smith's Lost Legacy
Published on 21. February 2005
XVI, 285 pages
978-0-230-51119-4 (ISBN)
Description
In this accessible book, Gavin Kennedy takes a fresh look at Adam Smith's moral philosophy and its links to his political economy and his lectures on Jurisprudence. The book provides a new analysis of Wealth of Nations , and argues that Adam Smith's intellectual legacy was completely transformed in the Nineteenth and Twentieth centuries by economists pursuing different agendas, to create ideas and policies that Smith did not advocate. It also provides a new explanation for the main mysteries about Smith's later life.
Reviews / Votes
'A fresh look at Smith's moral philosophy, its links to his political economy and his lectures on jurisprudence.' - The Scots Magazine
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Person
GAVIN KENNEDY is Professor and Director of Contracts at Edinburgh Business School, Herio-Watt University. Previously Professor of Defence Finance, he has authored several books on defence finance and published widely in negotiation processes.
Content
Preface and Acknowledgements Bibliographical Note General Introduction PART I: THE MAN Introduction Smith's Family Background Disease of the Learned A 'Juvenile' Work Bad Days at Balliol A Game of Great Skill His Strategic Allegiance Professor Smith! PART II: IMPARTIAL SPECTATORS Introduction The Religious Climate On Benevolence A Poem about a Louse The Impartial Spectator The Looking Glass Social Cohesion The Ends of Nature PART III: IMPARTIAL JURISTS Justice as a Negative Virtue Constitutional Monarchy Foundations of Liberty History as Imagination The Four Stages Was He Aware of a Fifth Stage? PART IV: IMPARTIAL COMPETITION Introduction A Linguistic Osmosis Insufficiency of Self-love Self-love and Conditionality Of the Process of Negotiation Of Distracting and Dismal Confusions Of Pins and Things Of Common Coats and Opulence Alienation: Rhetoric or Substance What Industrial Revolution? Significance of Smith's 'Unawareness' Why Smith 'Retired' On Laissez Faire The Wonderful World of Adam Smith? In the Absence of Perfect Liberty Monopolists in Product Markets Against the Public Interest The Impartial Competitor The Mercantile System The 'Invisible' Hand The Ends of Monopoly? Smithian Markets Commercial Revival On the Virtues of Frugality On Market Interference Famous Exceptions to Free Trade Of Strawberries and Buttons Cheerful and Hearty Economics Accumulation and Employment of Stock On Doing More Harm than Good Doom and Gloom? Of Grandchildren and Grandparents A 'Night Watchman' State? Smith's Immodest Proposals for Public Expenditures Education and Health Expenditures Public Revenues Government Failure Reclaiming Smith's Legacy Appendix: Smith's '1755 Paper' Select Bibliography Index
