US EditionFrom 1776 to 2026: Adam Smith's lessons for the global economy
- Reuters reported from London that The Wealth of Nations marks its 250th anniversary on March 9, 2026, with events throughout the year in Glasgow, Edinburgh, London and Kirkcaldy.
- Smith's system of natural liberty is built on three pillars: rule of law, individual freedom and robust competition, while The Wealth of Nations argues for division of labour and free trade.
- Smith targeted monopolies and mercantilist privileges, calling them a 'secret in trade,' and scholars highlight his critique of special interests, as Mehta states.
- Commentators note parallels with President Trump's trade tactics; Smith accepted narrow tariffs for unfair trade or security, and his ideas on wealth distribution are compared to calls to 'Tax the rich' and U.S. progressives.
- An academic paper by Mark Skousen frames Smith as prophetic but warns he would be troubled by today's large state and crony capitalism, while the IEA says Smith's principles still deliver growth.
28 Articles
28 Articles
Happy Anniversary, Adam Smith
Today is the 250th anniversary of Adam Smith’s An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. In my book “Rage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution,” I explore the importance of The Wealth of Nations to the founders and why it will be even more important in this century. The Wealth of Nations was released around the same time as the Declaration of Independence, but was not a particular success in Gre…
250 years ago, Adam Smith's "Wealth of Nations" was published. Smith's much-famous book also shows him as a pioneer of geoeconomics.
250 years later, why Adam Smith’s ‘Wealth of Nations’ remains relevant, from colleges to debates on AI
Today marks the 250th anniversary since the publication of Adam Smith's 'Wealth of Nations'. Despite the shift in the study of Economics over the last century and a half, Wealth of Nations remains a seminal text in the study of classical economics.
James Lawson: As the 'Wealth of Nations' turns 250, it's time for the Tories to reclaim their inheritance
James Lawson, is chairman of the Adam Smith Institute. Traditionally, the Conservative Party is the party of sound money and free enterprise. From Pitt the Younger to Thatcher, its best leaders understood that prosperity stems not from state direction but from free individuals operating under the rule of law. When the party strays by embracing the mixed economy, accepting soft socialism, or losing the confidence to champion markets, the country …
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