ADAM SMITH’S ENLIGHTENED WORLD

Commerce, morality, equality, the rule of law, and the role of government… Welcome to the world of Adam Smith.

What can we learn about our own world from Smith? Join the workers in an 18th century pin factory to find out more…

Interactive Pin Factory

Listen to the latest podcast episodes with full show notes and transcripts.

The Great Antidote

Speaking of Smith is a blog that explores the ideas, legacy, and relevance of Adam Smith.

Speaking of Smith

Latest

Swedish origins of ‘liberal’ as a political label

Georg Adlersparre1770s Scots christened the political adjective ‘liberal.’ But the first noun ‘liberals’—exponents of a national ‘liberal’ party or movement—were in Sweden, beating Spain by a nose!  "...the Spanish liberales got the word, just like the Swedish liberals, from their Scottish hero [Adam Smith]."

Adam Smith and British Bubbles???

There’s a delightful moment in Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations where he neatly demonstrates the efficacy and efficiency of free trade by talking about wine... So why are the French buying up vineyard land in England???

Daniel Hannan on Executive and Legislative Power

Join us today for a fun conversation about all things government, UK and US, with Lord Daniel Hannan of Kingsclere! 

Bob Ewing on Narratives and Counterintuitive Ideas

Bob Ewing talks to host Juliette Sellgren about how he got started and how many of the great lessons in life are learned. They also talk about counter-intuitive ideas, how to find the answers to them, and how to effectively communicate them. He talks to us about kettlebells and quotes (almost) every great author under the sun. 

Explore.

Part 2: The Free Market

  In this short video, AdamSmithWorks introduces the free market not as a place, but as a dynamic process driven by voluntary exchange, competition, and cooperation. With insights rooted in the thought of Adam Smith, this engaging explainer helps viewers understand how markets work and why they play a central role in a free society. 

Part 3: Division of Labor

This original AdamSmithWorks video explores Adam Smith’s famous concept of the division of labor—how breaking down tasks increases efficiency, productivity, and prosperity. 📈💡 

Learn.

Adam Abducted

March 3, 2025 Doug Curtis and Jeremy Lott are back at AdamSmithWorks illustrating a colorful event from Adam Smith early years.

From Clan to Social Grammar

February 28, 2025 In the 11th century, the Roman Catholic Church reformed consanguinity rules for marriage, bringing along a social grammar, the liberal arc, and the Great Enrichment. "The weakening of kinship ties in Europe, which led to the rise of impersonal commerce, allowed for more modern moralists to identify the unique aspects of commutative justice, elaborating precise and accurate rules in jurisprudence."

Teach.

Invisible Hand Toolkit

Explore the most famous metaphor in economics with our collection of original resources for you and your classroom. 

Teaching Resources...Right to your Inbox!

Did you miss our most recent collection about teaching the division of labor ? 

Reading Guides

Read through the original texts of Theory of Moral Sentiments and Wealth of Nations with discussion questions added directly to the text. 

Read.

Essays on Philosophical Subjects

Reflecting Adam Smith’s wide learning and varied interests, these essays shed considerable light on his place in the Scottish Enlightenment. Included are histories of astronomy, ancient logic, and ancient physics; essays on the “imitative” arts and the affinity between music, dancing, and poetry; and a critical review of Samuel Johnson’s famous Dictionary, which Smith originally published in the Edinburgh Review (1755–1756).