The Wealth of Nations_ Books 4-5 - Adam Smith [2]
Distribution of Riches.
1766–73
Resident in Kirkcaldy, working on The Wealth of Nations.
1767
Resident in London; publiction of the third edition of the Theory.
The Townshend Revenue Acts.
François Forbonnais, Principes et observation économ
iques (1767).
Mercier de la Rivière, L’Ordre naturel et essentiel des
sociétés politiques (1767).
Sir James Steuart, Principles of Political Economy (1767).
1768
Colonial non-Importation Agreements.
Pierre Samuel Dupont de Nemours (ed.), Physiocratie.
Guillaume François Le Trosne, Recueil de plusieurs morceaux économiques.
1770
The Boston Massacre.
1771
Charles D’Avenant (ed. Charles Whitworth), Political and Commercial Works.
1773
The Boston Tea Party.
1773–6
Resident in London. Publication of the fourth edition of the Theory, 1774. Publication of The Wealth of Nations on 9 March 1776.
1774
Declaration of Colonial Rights and Grievances by the Continental Association.
1775
Battles of Lexington and of Bunker (Breed’s) Hill; the Olive Branch Petition.
Jacques Necker, Sur la législation et le commerce des grains.
1776
Declaration of Independence, 4 July; Battle of Trenton.
Abbé Étienne Bonnot de Condillac, Le commerce et le gouvernement.
1777
Battles of Princeton and Saratoga.
1778
Appointed Commissioner of Customs; second edition of The Wealth of Nations; resident in Edinburgh.
American Treaty of Alliance with France.
1781
British capitulation at Yorktown.
1783
Treaty of Paris, concluding the American War of
Independence.
1784
Publication of the third edition of The Wealth of Nations.
1786
Publication of the fourth edition of The Wealth of Nations.
1787
Elected as Lord Rector of Glasgow University.
Jeremy Bentham, Defence of Usury.
1789
Publication of the fifth edition of The Wealth of Nations.
1790
Publication of the sixth edition of The Theory; died on 17 July.
ABBREVIATIONS
‘Astronomy’
Adam Smith, ‘The History of Astronomy’, edited by W. P. D.
Wightman, included in EPS.
Corr
Adam Smith, Correspondence, Glasgow Edition, edited by E. C.
Mossner and I. S. Ross (Oxford, second edition 1987). References give the number of the letter, as listed in the Glasgow Edition, and its date.
EPS
Adam Smith, Essays on Philosophical Subjects, Glasgow Edition, general editors D. D. Raphael and A. S. Skinner (Oxford, 1980).
Lectures
Adam Smith, Lectures on Jurisprudence (Reports of 1762–3 and 1766), Glasgow Edition, edited by R. L. Meek, D. D. Raphael and P. G. Stein (Oxford, 1978). References give the page number of the original manuscript, as shown in the Glasgow Edition.
Meek (1962)
R. L. Meek, The Economics of Physiocracy (1962).
Meek (1973)
R. L. Meek, Turgot on Progress, Sociology and Economics (1973).
Stewart
Dugald Stewart, ‘Account of the Life and Writings of Adam Smith’, edited by I. S. Ross, included in EPS.
TMS
Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, Glasgow Edition, edited by D. D. Raphael and A. L. Macfie (Oxford, 1976).
WN
Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations, Glasgow Edition, edited by R. H. Campbell, A. S. Skinner and W. B. Todd (Oxford, 1976).
The Glasgow Edition of the works of Adam Smith is also available in paperback, published by the Liberty Fund, Indianapolis.
References to Stewart, TMS and WN locate the relevant paragraph number, as printed in the margin of the Glasgow Edition, in order that any edition may be consulted. For example,
TMS I.i.5.5 is The Theory of Moral Sentiments, Part I, Section I, Chapter 5, paragraph 5.
WN V.i.f.26; pp. 357–8 is The Wealth of Nations, Book V, Chapter I, Part VI, paragraph 26; pages 357–8 in Penguin edition.
INTRODUCTION
THE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM
ADAM SMITH was appointed to the Chair of Logic at Glasgow University in 1751 and translated to the Chair of Moral Philosophy the following year. He served in this office for more than ten years, lecturing on rhetoric, theology, ethics, jurisprudence and economics. In this period he composed his