Adam Smith

Adam Smith (baptised 16 June 1723 17 July 1790 [OS: 5 June 1723 17 July 1790]) was a
S!ttis" #!$al p"il!s!p"e$ and a pi!nee$ !% p!litial e!n!#y& One !% t"e 'ey %i(u$es !% t"e
S!ttis" )nli("ten#ent* S#it" is t"e aut"!$ !% The Theory of Moral Sentiments and An Inquiry
into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations& +"e latte$* usually abb$e,iated as The
Wealth of Nations* is !nside$ed "is magnum opus and t"e %i$st #!de$n w!$' !% e!n!#is&
-da# S#it" is widely ited as t"e %at"e$ !% #!de$n e!n!#is&
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S#it" studied #!$al p"il!s!p"y at t"e .ni,e$sity !% /las(!w and O0%!$d .ni,e$sity& -%te$
($aduatin( "e deli,e$ed a suess%ul se$ies !% publi letu$es at )dinbu$("* leadin( "i# t!
!llab!$ate wit" 1a,id 2u#e du$in( t"e S!ttis" )nli("ten#ent& S#it" !btained a p$!%ess!$s"ip
at /las(!w tea"in( #!$al p"il!s!p"y* and du$in( t"is ti#e w$!te and publis"ed The Theory of
Moral Sentiments& 3n "is late$ li%e "e t!!' a tut!$in( p!siti!n w"i" all!wed "i# t! t$a,el
t"$!u("!ut )u$!pe w"e$e "e #et !t"e$ intelletual leade$s !% "is day& S#it" $etu$ned "!#e and
spent t"e ne0t ten yea$s w$itin( The Wealth of Nations (#ainly %$!# "is letu$e n!tes) w"i" was
publis"ed in 1776& 2e died in 1790&
Early life
-da# S#it" was b!$n t! 4a$(a$et 1!u(las at 5i$'aldy* S!tland& 2is %at"e$* als! na#ed -da#
S#it"* was a lawye$* i,il se$,ant* and wid!we$ w"! #a$$ied 4a$(a$et 1!u(las in 1720 and died
si0 #!nt"s be%!$e S#it" was b!$n&
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-lt"!u(" t"e e0at date !% S#it"6s bi$t" is un'n!wn* "is
baptis# was $e!$ded !n 16 June 1723 at 5i$'aldy&
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+"!u(" %ew e,ents in S#it"6s ea$ly
"ild"!!d a$e 'n!wn* S!ttis" 8!u$nalist and bi!($ap"e$ !% S#it" J!"n 9ae $e!$ded t"at S#it"
was abduted by (ypsies at t"e a(e !% %!u$ and e,entually $eleased w"en !t"e$s went t! $esue
"i#&
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S#it" was pa$tiula$ly l!se t! "is #!t"e$* w"! li'ely en!u$a(ed "i# t! pu$sue "is
s"!la$ly a#biti!ns&
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2e attended t"e :u$(" S"!!l !% 5i$'aldy "a$ate$ised by 9ae as ;!ne
!% t"e best se!nda$y s"!!ls !% S!tland at t"at pe$i!d; %$!# 1729 t! 1737&
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+"e$e "e studied
<atin* #at"e#atis* "ist!$y* and w$itin(&
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Formal education:- !##e#!$ati,e pla=ue %!$ -da# S#it" is l!ated at S#it"6s "!#e t!wn
!% 5i$'aldy&
S#it" ente$ed t"e .ni,e$sity !% /las(!w w"en "e was %!u$teen and studied #!$al p"il!s!p"y
unde$ >$anis 2ut"es!n&
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2e$e "e de,el!ped "is passi!n %!$ libe$ty* $eas!n* and %$ee spee"& 3n
1770* S#it" was awa$ded t"e Snell e0"ibiti!n and le%t t"e .ni,e$sity !% /las(!w t! attend
:alli!l ?!lle(e* O0%!$d&
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S#it" !nside$ed t"e tea"in( at /las(!w t! be %a$ supe$i!$ t! t"at at O0%!$d* and %!und "is
e0pe$iene at t"e latte$ t! be intelletually sti%lin(&
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3n :!!' A* ?"apte$ 33 !% The Wealth of
Nations* S#it" w$!te: ;3n t"e .ni,e$sity !% O0%!$d* t"e ($eate$ pa$t !% t"e publi p$!%ess!$s
"a,e* %!$ t"ese #any yea$s* (i,en up alt!(et"e$ e,en t"e p$etene !% tea"in(&; S#it" is als!
$ep!$ted t! "a,e !#plained t! %$iends t"at O0%!$d !%%iials !ne deteted "i# $eadin( a !py !%