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How did it all begin? Adam Smith on the early and rude state of society and the age of hunters

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  • Ecem Okan

Abstract

Scholars tend to examine Smith's historical approach as a whole from the perspective of the four stages theory. This leads to a neglect of Smith's ability to use history in different ways as his different purposes require. This article distinguishes Smith's recourse to primitive society with respect to his purposes in Wealth of Nations and in Lectures on Jurisprudence. In the former, Smith analyses the capitalist economy, thereby laying emphasis on capital and the division of labour in his account of wealth. In the latter, he explains the evolution of institutions in order to challenge contractarian accounts of government.

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  • Ecem Okan, 2017. "How did it all begin? Adam Smith on the early and rude state of society and the age of hunters," The European Journal of the History of Economic Thought, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(6), pages 1247-1276, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:eujhet:v:24:y:2017:i:6:p:1247-1276
    DOI: 10.1080/09672567.2017.1381134
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Spencer J. Pack, 1991. "Capitalism as a Moral System," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 346.
    2. Salim Rashid, 1998. "The Myth of Adam Smith," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 1200.
    3. Anthony Brewer, 2008. "Adam Smith's stages of history," Bristol Economics Discussion Papers 08/601, School of Economics, University of Bristol, UK.
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