Sunday, 17 October 2021

What's wrong with Adam Smith's opening premise

The first known book on contemporary economics is Adam Smith's: An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations 1776.

Its opening premise is an increase in wealth comes through increasing productivity through a division of labour. He goes on to describe the more efficient making of a pin.

I'd just like to question this idea.

1. An increase in wealth (of a nation) must come through an increase in demand first in order to stimulate supply?

2. The division of labour with its increased productivity increases the wealth of the business owner or even the business owning class (capitalists) This does not necessarily mean an increase in the wealth of the nation because capitalists may keep all or most of the wealth to themselves?

3. One way or another profits, however they are made, need to be shared in order to benefit the nation? One way of sharing profits for the benefit of society is through tax.


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