Speaking of Smith Archives

Adam Smith Comics: Trinkets of Frivolous Utility

May 18, 2023

Many people associate Adam Smith with the idea that greed is good but Smith is very critical of individuals who pursue greedy ambitions even while acknowledging that their activities can benefit and be good for others. Our newest comic imagines a particularly awful couple of characters that Smith criticizes in The Theory of Moral Sentiments.

What Adam Smith Ate (& Drank!): Claret, Part 2

May 16, 2023

Adam Smith knew first-hand about the Bordeaux wine growing region and he factored his knowledge of wine and agriculture into An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations.

What Adam Smith Ate (& Drank!): Claret

May 15, 2023

"Smith’s use of wine to demonstrate everything from supply and demand, costs of goods, duties, and tariffs arguably made him the first wine economist tracking values, appreciation, and retail prices."

Adam Smith Comics: Man of System

May 11, 2023

"[The Man of System] seems to imagine that he can arrange the different members of a great society with as much ease as the hand arranges the different pieces upon a chess–board."

Adam Smith Comics: The Opening of The Theory of Moral Sentiments

May 8, 2023

There are many famous first lines from novels. We think Adam Smith's philosophical opening is just as deserving of recognition.

Adam Smith Would Not Approve of Logan Roy

May 4, 2023

During Succession’s first season, Adam Smith is explicitly referenced when in a social gathering some guests are discussing the ideas of Smith and Karl Marx. Scotland itself was bound to appear in a later episode when the Roy clan visits Dundee for a triumphal celebration of Logan Roy’s life achievements...It is also a commentary on power and corruption...

Adam Smith Comics: The Invisible Hand

May 2, 2023

Have you ever wondered what an invisible hand looks like?

Adam Smith Stories: Too Interesting to be Omitted

Learn more about the one incident from Smith's childhood that has made it through the veils of time: his abduction and rescue from when he was four years old.

What Adam Smith Ate: Vinegar

April 23, 2023

In Adam Smith’s household, it’s likely that his mother or cousin, Janet Douglas, would have ensured the cooks pickled vegetables or fermented cabbage or turnips.

Speaking of Smith: Top Ten Posts

April 13, 2023

AdamSmithWorks has been posting Speaking Of Smith posts for over three years. We looked at the most viewed posts and pulled them together for your enjoyment and education.

Dear Adam Smith: What About a Beer?

April 12, 2023

Should "Looking for Simple Pleasures" stop by the pub or keep walking? Adam Smith talks about the heart, the pocket book, and government budgets in his response.

The Use of Pineapple in Society

April 4, 2023

People voted for the Hawaiian pizza and voted against the Hula Burger. They didn’t do so in political referenda or by entering a polling booth on election day. Instead, they “voted” by buying Hawaiian pizzas and not buying Hula Burgers.