Adam Smith Comics: The Invisible Hand

invisible hand art comics

May 2, 2023

Have you ever wondered what an invisible hand looks like?  
The first entry in a NEW AdamSmithWorks series where we ask artists to help us with our imaginations.

Here artist Douglas Curtis worked with script author and editor Jeremy Lott to tackle one of Adam Smith's most famous quotes from An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, Book IV, Chapter 2 (bolding is for effect and not in the original):

As every individual, therefore, endeavours as much as he can both to employ his capital in the support of domestic industry, and so to direct that industry that its produce may be of the greatest value; every individual necessarily labours to render the annual revenue of the society as great as he can. He generally, indeed, neither intends to promote the public interest, nor knows how much he is promoting it. By preferring the support of domestic to that of foreign industry, he intends only his own security; and by directing that industry in such a manner as its produce may be of the greatest value, he intends only his own gain, and he is in this, as in many other cases, led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention. Nor is it always the worse for the society that it was no part of it. By pursuing his own interest he frequently promotes that of the society more effectually than when he really intends to promote it. I have never known much good done by those who affected to trade for the public good. It is an affectation, indeed, not very common among merchants, and very few words need be employed in dissuading them from it. 





Want to learn more?

The Invisible Hand, Part 1 of our five-part video series, An Animal That Trades
Peter Foster, Adam Smith's Invisible Hand, at AdamSmithWorks
Daniel Klein, The Regularity of Irregularity: Adam Smith's Three Invisible Hands, at AdamSmithWorks
Comments
joseph L. Scott CPA (Ret.)

I have been a devotee of comics since my childhood.
Some may think they're only for kids, but I strongly disagree.
I would be very interested in purchasing some kind of book, magazine, etc. w/ this art. Let me know if you ever publish...
Joseph L Scott, CPA (Ret.)