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Adam Smith

What is adam smith?

· Emily Grant

Key facts

Name Adam Smith[2]
Baptized June 5, 1723[2]
Birth place Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland[2]
Death date July 17, 1790[2]
Death place Edinburgh[2]
Notable works The Theory of Moral Sentiments; The Wealth of Nations[2]

Adam Smith was a Scottish social philosopher and political economist, best known for The Wealth of Nations (1776), the first comprehensive system of political economy. He was a central figure in the Scottish Enlightenment and instrumental in the rise of classical liberalism.

Context

Adam Smith was a Scottish social philosopher and political economist, best known for The Wealth of Nations (1776), which is considered the first comprehensive system of political economy [2]. He was a central figure in the Scottish Enlightenment and instrumental in the rise of classical liberalism [2]. Often described as the father of modern economics [1], his exact birth date is unknown; his baptism date is used as a reference [2].

Documented claims

  • Adam Smith was a Scottish social philosopher and political economist. [2]
  • He was a central figure in the Scottish Enlightenment. [2]
  • He was instrumental in the rise of classical liberalism. [2]
  • He is often described as the father of modern economics. [1]

Questions and answers

What was Adam Smith best known for?

He is best known for The Wealth of Nations (1776), the first comprehensive system of political economy [2].

What was Adam Smith's main theory?

His main theory is the comprehensive system of political economy presented in The Wealth of Nations, which laid the foundation for classical economics [2].

Did Adam Smith believe in capitalism?

Smith is considered instrumental in the rise of classical liberalism, which is a foundation of capitalist thought [2].

Sources

  1. University of Glasgow - Explore and learn - Biography of Adam Smithwww.gla.ac.uk › explore › adamsmith300 › explorelearn › life › biography — gla.ac.uk (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. Adam Smith: His Life, Thought, and Legacy - Chapter 1 — assets.press.princeton.edu (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in People