• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

W. Samuels, ‘Adam Smith and the Economy as a System of Power’, Review of Social Economy 31 (1973).

A. S. Skinner, A System of Social Science: Papers Relating to Adam Smith (Oxford, 1996).

J. Viner, ‘Adam Smith and Laissez-Faire’, Journal of Political Economy 35 (1928); reprinted in J. C. Wood, Adam Smith: Critical Assessments, 4 vols (Beckenham, 1984), Vol. i, pp. 143–67.

P. Werhane, Adam Smith and his Legacy for Modern Capitalism (Oxford, 1991).

E. G. West, ‘Adam Smith’s Two Views on the Division of Labour’, Economica 31 (1964); reprinted in J. C. Wood, Adam Smith: Critical Assessments, 4 vols (Beckenham, 1984), Vol.iii, pp. 162–70).

E. G. West, ‘Adam Smith’s Economics of Politics’, History of Political Economy 1 (1976).

D. Winch, Adam Smith’s Politics: An Essay in Historiographic Revision (Cambridge, 1978).

D. Winch, ‘Science and the Legislator: Adam Smith and After’, Economic Journal 93 (1983).

J. C. Wood, Adam Smith: Critical Assessments, 4 vols (Beckenham, 1984).

Facsimile title page of the first edition

of The Wealth of Nations

AN

INQUIRY

INTO THE

Nature and Caufes

OF THE

WEALTH OF NATIONS

By ADAM SMITH, LL.D.D. and F. R. S.

Formerly Profeffor of Moral Philofophy in the Univercity of GLASGOW

VOL. II.

LONDON

PRINTED FOR W. STRAHAN; AND T. CADELL, IN THE STRAND

MDCCLXXVI

CONTENTS

BOOK IV

of systems of political economy

Introduction

I. Of the Principle of the Commercial, or Mercantile System

II. Of Restraints upon the Importation from Foreign Countries of such goods as can be produced at home

III. Of the Extraordinary Restraints upon the Importation of Goods of almost all kinds from those countries with which the balance is supposed to be disadvantageous

Part I. Of the Unreasonableness of those Restraints even upon the Principles of the Commercial System

Digression concerning Banks of Deposit, particularly concerning that of Amsterdam

Part II. Of the Unreasonableness of those extraordinary Restraints upon other Principles

IV. Of Drawbacks

V. Of Bounties

Digression concerning the Corn Trade and Corn Laws

VI. Of Treaties of Commerce

Art. I.

Art. II.

Art. III.

VII. Of Colonies

Part I. Of the Motives for establishing new Colonies

Part II. Causes of the Prosperity of New Colonies

Part III. Of the Advantages which Europe has derived from the Discovery of America, and from that of a Passage to the East Indies by the Cape of Good Hope

VIII. Conclusion of the Mercantile System

IX. Of the Agricultural Systems, or of those Systems of Political Economy which represent the produce of land as either the sole or the principle source of the revenue and wealth of every country

BOOK IV

Of the Revenue of the Sovereign or Commonwealth

I. Of the Expenses of the Sovereign or Commonwealth

Part I. Of the Expense of Defence

Part II. Of the Expense of Justice

Part III. Of the Expense of Public Works and Public Institutions

Article I. Of the Public Works and Institutions for facilitating the Commerce of Society

1st, For Facilitating the general Commerce of the Society

2dly, For facilitating particular Branches of Commerce

Article II. Of the Expense of the Institutions for the Education of Youth

Article III. Of the Expense of the Institutions for the Instruction of People of all Ages

Part IV. Of the Expense of supporting the Dignity of the Sovereign

II Of the Sources of the general or public Revenue of the Society

Part I. Of the Funds or Sources of Revenue which may peculiarly belong to the Sovereign or Commonwealth

Part II. of Taxes

Article I. Taxes upon Rent. Taxes upon the Rent of Land

Taxes which are proportioned, not to the Rent, but to the Produce of Land

Taxes upon the Rent of Houses

Article II. Taxes upon Profit, or upon the Revenue arising from Stock

Taxes upon the Profit of particular Employments

Appendix to Articles