The Wealth of Nations is according to many the foundational text of the discipline of economics, marking a turning point from earlier political philosophy to economics as we know it today. Written by Adam Smith in the late 18th century, his study develops concepts which have since become cornerstones of economic thought such as division of labour, productivity, return on investment, free markets and professions, and more. Although in the present Smith has become strongly associated with free markets and ‘the invisible hand’, he is hardly a Gordon Gekko -type cut-throat capitalist, rather its opposite. Throughout The Wealth of Nations he displays a highly moral and realistic view of people and economic incentives – and how things can go wrong in pursuit of profit.

Our edition features a section on Adam Smith, including an extensive biographical essay illuminating the course of his life. The book comes in 170x240mm format with hard cover, black and gold details featuring stunning artworks by the Finnish artist Ville Andersson, designed by Piëtke Visser in Helsinki.