Adam Smith

Born in Kirkcaldy, Scotland, and baptized in 1723, Adam Smith became one of the central thinkers of the Scottish Enlightenment. He studied at Glasgow and Oxford, later taught moral philosophy, and built a reputation as a careful observer of how people behave in both everyday life and public affairs.

Smith is most famous for two major books: The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759) and An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776). Together, they show the breadth of his thinking. He wrote not only about trade, work, and the division of labor, but also about conscience, fellow-feeling, and the moral judgments people make about themselves and others.

Although he is often remembered simply as an economist, Smith was really a philosopher interested in how societies flourish. His ideas have influenced economics, politics, and ethics for centuries, and his work is still read because it speaks to both practical questions about wealth and deeper questions about human nature.