Study Guide

The Wealth of Nations Introduction

By Adam Smith

Introduction

Adam Smith starts his landmark book by making a basic statement, saying that he's going to talk about what counts as the "wealth" of a country and how certain countries tend to have more wealth per person than others.
For starters, the wealth of a nation depends on the number of people who are productively employed compared to those who aren't. Next, you have to wonder about these people's level of skill and education.
But Smith wants to figure out how many modernized countries have fared very differently when it comes to producing wealth. In other words, why have some succeeded more than others? Does it have to do with the people and land in that country, or can governments bring in specific policies that make the country wealthier? Of course, this is a question we're all still asking today. Just listen to two politicians argue about the economy and you'll see what we mean.

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