or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
 
More Buying Choices
31 used & new from £6.79
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
The Wealth of Nations (Great Minds)
 
 
Share your own customer images
Search inside another edition of this book

The Wealth of Nations (Great Minds) (Paperback)

by Adam Smith (Author) "The greatest improvement in the productive powers of labour, and the greater part of the skill, dexterity, and judgment with which it is any where..." (more)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
RRP: £13.50
Price: £8.38 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save: £5.12 (38%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

Only 4 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).

Want guaranteed delivery by Tuesday, November 24? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details
21 new from £6.79 10 used from £6.79
Other Editions: RRP: Our Price: Other Offers:
Hardcover (Abridged) £19.95 £18.95 10 used & new from £10.50
Paperback (Selected Ed. /) £8.99 £4.93 47 used & new from £4.32
Audio Cassette (Audiobook) Order it used
Unknown Binding 2 used & new from £4.80
12 Days of Christmas Sale in Books
12 Days of Christmas Sale in Books
Get up to 65% off some of our top titles. Shop now

Special Offers and Product Promotions

Frequently Bought Together

The Wealth of Nations (Great Minds) + The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money + Capitalism and Freedom
Price For All Three: £23.81

Show availability and delivery details

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money

The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money

by John Maynard Keynes
4.4 out of 5 stars (13)  £6.54
Capitalism and Freedom

Capitalism and Freedom

by Milton Friedman
4.4 out of 5 stars (11)  £8.89
The Theory of Moral Sentiments

The Theory of Moral Sentiments

by Adam Smith
£6.99
The Principles of Political Economy

The Principles of Political Economy

by David Ricardo
4.0 out of 5 stars (1)  £4.50
Capital: An Abridged Edition (Oxford World's Classics)

Capital: An Abridged Edition (Oxford World's Classics)

by Karl Marx
5.0 out of 5 stars (3)  £4.94
› Explore similar items

Product details

  • Paperback: 590 pages
  • Publisher: Prometheus Books (19 Dec 1991)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0879757051
  • ISBN-13: 978-0879757052
  • Product Dimensions: 20.8 x 13.7 x 3.6 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 198,301 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #8 in  Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Government & Politics > Countries & Regions > United States > Political Parties
    #40 in  Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Government & Politics > Political Science & Ideology > Conservatism

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Customers Viewing This Page May Be Interested in These Sponsored Links

  (What is this?)
   Wealth Of Nations# opens new browser window
Ask.com  -  Find the Best Results for Wealth Of Nations# 
  
 

Product Description

Product Description

Political economy had been studied long before Adam Smith. But "Wealth of Nations" (1776) established it for the first time as a separate science. Smith based his arguments on vast historical knowledge, and developed his principles with remarkable clarity. What set this work apart was its statement of the doctrine of natural liberty. Smith believed that 'man's self-interest is God's providence' - that if government abstained from interfering with free competition, the invisible hand of capitalism would emerge from the competing claims of individual self-interest. Industrial problems would be resolved and maximum efficiency reached. After more than two centuries, Smith's work still stands as the best statement and defence of the fundamental principles of capitalism.
Inside This Book (Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
First Sentence
The greatest improvement in the productive powers of labour, and the greater part of the skill, dexterity, and judgment with which it is any where directed, or applied, seem to have been the effects of the division of labour. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
Search inside this book:

Suggested Tags from Similar Products

 (What's this?)
Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
 
economics
capitalism
adam smith
philosophy
conservatism
thoughtmarket
political philosophy
enlightenment
economic history
classical texts
ca_biz

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

The Wealth of Nations (Great Minds)
72% buy the item featured on this page:
The Wealth of Nations (Great Minds) 4.5 out of 5 stars (13)
£8.38
The Wealth of Nations: Books I-III
11% buy
The Wealth of Nations: Books I-III 4.0 out of 5 stars (4)
£6.96
The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money
7% buy
The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money 4.4 out of 5 stars (13)
£6.54
The Wealth of Nations: IV-V
6% buy
The Wealth of Nations: IV-V
£6.96
Explore similar items
 

Customer Reviews

13 Reviews
5 star:
 (8)
4 star:
 (4)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (13 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A useful crash course on Adam Smith's discourse, 22 Sep 2008
By Gaurav Sharma (London, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)      
This review is from: Wealth of Nations (Paperback)
I can only describe this particular edition of Wealth of Nations as a useful crash course on Adam Smith's discourse, mindful of the fact that there were five editions of this historically significant work. But then that's the beauty of this condensed compendium.

Most editions available in the market draw on Smith's Wealth of Nation Volume I (Of the causes of improvement), Volume II (Of the Nature, Accumulation, and Employment of Stock) and Volume III (Of the different Progress of Opulence in different Nations) at the most. However, this edition contains healthy inclusions from Book IV (Of Systems of political Economy) and Book V (Of the Revenue of the Sovereign or Commonwealth). For this alone, the editor Kathryn Sutherland deserves credit.

It is not a mouthful but a practical handy book on Wealth of Nations. Those who have never studied economics would enjoy reading it too if they are so inclined, especially students of history and philosophy. Since this is a complex work authored over two hundred years ago, the editor's footnotes and references enhance comprehension.

Yet the wonderful details of Smith's key thoughts have not been stifled in any way - working of the markets, division of labour, general prosperity, government and taxation are all there. In essence, Wealth of Nations remains a true classic and I found this edition of it to be an easy and enjoyable read. Overall, its a handy reference book to have on your bookshelf.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
20 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Capitalism by it's first advocate, 13 Jul 1998
By A Customer
This 18th Century book is a well-reasoned broadside against mercantilism and state-run monopolies. Suprisingly, it is incredibly easy-to-read, even compared to modern fiction novels, and you can just open it and let your eyes fall where they may. Vital reading for those who promote or oppose the free-market. Read about capitalism from a temperate, intellectual proponent, rather than a right-wing extremist or left-wing radical. Also, important details on the living standards of the factory worker in 18th Century England from someone who actually lived in those times, rather than biased guesswork on the part of later 19th Century writers - it'll change your perspective!
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
34 of 47 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars The Great Work of a Great Mind., 10 Jun 1999
By A Customer
Although this book is hailed as one of the greatest works in Economics ever and set the foundations for contemporary Economic thought, the Wealth of Nations is not a good read. It is extremely difficult to digest and requires extreme concentration. Few would read the book unless required in an Economics course or the like. Smith was undoubtedly a genius - way ahead of his time. However, the reader must have as great an intellect to fully comprehend what Smith is writing. Perhaps "user-friendly" books were not the fashion of the times.
Comment Comment (1) | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Work, but easier ways of getting the message
Adam Smith has rightly been described as the father of economics, and is most famous for `Wealth of Nations'. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Roger

5.0 out of 5 stars The classic economic text - and more; hard going but rewarding
An abridged version of the five volumes comprising "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations", first published in 1776 on the eve of the American War of... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Mr. Nicholas Dougan

4.0 out of 5 stars Live an 18th century experience
The book is extremely readable although published way back in 1776 (the same year as the American War of Independence). Read more
Published 9 months ago by Peter Pearson

5.0 out of 5 stars where many things began
I loved this book, not for it's economic content but for it's wonderfully overarching principles and view of history, philosophy and economics. Read more
Published on 16 May 2003 by imayfly

5.0 out of 5 stars Money comes second:Smith was a enlightened moral philosopher
Adam Smith (Professor of Moral Philosophy at Glasgow) had previously written 'The Moral Theory of Sentiments' and had probably intended to write a third (spiritual) overarching... Read more
Published on 5 Aug 2000 by angus.skinner@blueyonder.co.uk

5.0 out of 5 stars Oh, How much we owe Smith!
I must take exception to the Amazon review: saying that Smith viewed Capitalism suspiciously is utterly untenable. Read more
Published on 20 Jul 1999

4.0 out of 5 stars foundation of capitalism with a flaw
This master reference book sure laid the foundations for capitalistic theory and politics, but one element is not demonstrated or rather its demonstration has since proved... Read more
Published on 26 May 1999

4.0 out of 5 stars A must read for any student of economics.
He laid the foundation for the capitalist, free market economy and is one the founders of modern day economics. Lissez-faire and how it is accomplished. Read more
Published on 5 Feb 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars Perhaps the most lucid "social" writing ever
Based on his previous writings on human behaviour, Adam Smith shows, systematically and consistently, how a market-based economic system promotes general welfare through the... Read more
Published on 5 Dec 1998

5.0 out of 5 stars Try the Cannan edition
isbn 0-226-76374-9

The enthusiasm of the other reviewers, which I share, should not omit some classic (and often neglected) replies to Smith. Read more

Published on 31 Jul 1998

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
   
Related forums

Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Look for similar items by subject















i.e., each product must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

Feedback

Ad

Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.