An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, published by Adam Smith in 1776, is the founding work of classical economics. Smith examines how labour, markets, and the division of labour generate prosperity, introducing the famous image of the “invisible hand” by which individual self-interest can serve the common good.
Spanning trade, taxation, money, and the role of government, the treatise argues against mercantilist restrictions and in favour of free exchange. It became one of the most influential books of the Enlightenment and reshaped economic policy across Europe and beyond. This free EPUB edition presents Smith’s complete argument for readers of intellectual and economic history.