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Smith and Aristotle on Owning and Giving
Richard Gunderman for AdamSmithWorks April 10, 2024 Any social system that foments greed at the expense of the generosity is ruining individual human lives and those individuals' communities.
David Hume’s Protestant Ethic
Erik W. Matson for AdamSmithWorks David Hume believed Puritan attitudes contributed to the commercial spirit of England. Hume anticipated Max Weber’s focus on the Protestant ethic but also differed from him. "Protestant convictions gelled with concurrent developments... The combination gave rise to both the spirit of the age and its material consequences." Wednesday, March 27, 2024
What’s Natural about Adam Smith’s Natural Liberty?
Daniel B. Klein and Erik W. Matson for AdamSmithWorks The first essay in our NEW series takes a close look at Adam Smith's language and the implications of those choices for understanding him and the world he is describing. "Smith often said simply “liberty” but sometimes “natural liberty.” Why did Smith sometimes say “natural liberty”? Maybe he wanted to highlight its “naturalness.” That prompts the question: What is “natural” about Smith’s “natural liberty”?" March 23, 2022