Bogactwo narodów Adama Smitha po 250 latach. Znaczenie dla współczesnych nauk ekonomicznych

Abstrakt

Adam Smith's work, “An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations” (1776), is widely considered a milestone in the emergence and development of economics as an independent discipline within the social sciences. The aim of this article is to highlight aspects of Smith's theory that proved crucial for the future development of economics as a science. Smith's work was part of the Scottish Enlightenment, an intellectual community searching for laws governing society analogous to the laws of nature. For economics, emerging as an independent discipline within the social sciences, this marked a shift away from normative
moral and political treatises toward a systematic, descriptive analysis of economic mechanisms. “The Wealth of Nations” is not an economics textbook, but rather a treatise on social and economic development. Smith considered the problems described from many perspectives. He appreciated the diversity and specificity of different nations. He presented the advantages and disadvantages of closely interconnected processes. He was not only an economist but also, in connection with the beginning of his academic career, a moral philosopher. Therefore, his arguments are firmly grounded in knowledge of human natural tendencies. “The Wealth of Nations” is a multi-threaded work. Consequently, Smith can be considered a forerunner of various modern trends in economics. This article focuses on behavioral-evolutionary economics and institutional economics, as well as management.