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Why is Adam Smith important today?

An Animal That Trades

A five-part short video series on the life and contemporary relevance of Adam Smith.

Part 1: The Invisible Hand



What did Adam Smith really mean by “the invisible hand”?

In this short video, discover how individual choices, guided by self-interest, can unintentionally promote the public good—and why Smith's famous metaphor still sparks debate today. Clear, engaging, and perfect for classrooms or curious minds alike. 

Part 2: The Free Market


 
In this short video, AdamSmithWorks introduces the free market not as a place, but as a dynamic process driven by voluntary exchange, competition, and cooperation. With insights rooted in the thought of Adam Smith, this engaging explainer helps viewers understand how markets work and why they play a central role in a free society. 

Part 3: Division of Labor


This original AdamSmithWorks video explores Adam Smith’s famous concept of the division of labor—how breaking down tasks increases efficiency, productivity, and prosperity. 📈💡 

Part 4: Sympathy

Part 5: The Role of Authority

Full Feature

Watch the complete 38 minute series uninterrupted.

#WealthofTweets by Sarah Skwire and Janet Bufton



#WealthofTweets Book I

Of the Causes of Improvement in the productive Powers of Labour, and of the Order according to which its Produce is naturally distributed among the different Ranks of the People

#WealthofTweets Book II

Of the Nature, Accumulation, and Employment of Stock

#WealthofTweets: Book III

Of the different Progress of Opulence in different Nations

#WealthofTweets: Book IV

Of Systems of political Economy

#WealthofTweets: Book V

Of the Revenue of the Sovereign of Commonwealth

The Smith Questionnaire

The Smith Questionnaire


Watch as we subject some of our favorite scholars to some silly questions about Smith.

AdamSmithWorks Reading Groups

An Opportunity for Reading and Thinking Together
We are pleased to offer Virtual Reading Groups on a variety of topics related to Smith, designed to gather interested individuals interested in serious and civil discussion.  These are now listed along with other virtual reading groups at the Online Library of Liberty's Community page. 

Click here for more information about past AdamSmithWorks Virtual Reading Groups.

Related Links

Video Links

Audio Links

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Scholars’ Portal

Research on Adam Smith and his work across disciplines is ongoing. The ASW Scholars' Portal is a password-protected online workspace to promote new scholarship and connect Smith scholars across the globe.

How to Join the Portal

The ASW Scholars’ Portal is an online work-and-gathering space for Smith scholars. Its features include:

  • ability to upload working papers for comment, and to comment on others' papers
  • online open-discussion forum
  • ability to create and contribute to collaborative documents such as reading lists, annotated bibliographies, and a "Smithopaedia"

To be considered for access to the portal, please contact us with your ideas and CV at awillis@libertyfund.org.

Advisory Council

Executive Advisory Council

  • Samuel W. Fleischacker, University of Illinois  
  • Ryan Hanley, Marquette University 
  • Leonidas Montes, Universidad Adolfo Ibañez School of Government (Chile)   
  • James R. Otteson, Wake Forest University  
  • Maria Paganelli, Trinity University  
  • Michelle Schwarze, University of Wisconsin at Madison  
  • Craig Smith, University of Glasgow (UK)  
  • Vernon Smith, Chapman University  


Advisory Council

  • Carlos Rodríguez Braun, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain)  
  • Vivienne Brown, Open University (UK)  
  • Jeng-Guo Chen, Academia Sinica (Taiwan)  
  • Jerry M. Evensky, Syracuse University  
  • Fonna Forman, University of California- San Diego  
  • Charles L. Griswold, Boston University  
  • Lisa Herzog, Oxford University (Germany)  
  • Dan Klein, George Mason University  
  • David M. Levy, George Mason University 
  • Sandra J. Peart, University of Richmond  
  • Dennis C. Rasmussen, Tufts University  
  • Eric S. Schliesser, University of Amsterdam (Netherlands)