Adam Smith’s liberalism

Carlos Rodriguez Braun

The Review of Austrian Economics, 2021, vol. 34, issue 4, No 3, 465-478

Abstract: Abstract In recent years studies have appeared that highlighted Adam Smith’s interventionist recommendations. These opinions are not new. The exceptions to liberalism in Smith’s thought were pointed out by Jacob Viner in 1927. Even before Viner, there were economists who condemned the exaggeratedly liberal portrayal of Smith. But one thing is to stand aside from extreme viewpoints, and another not to have a clear orientation: the thesis of this article is that Adam Smith was in balance a liberal. To prove it, the interventionist and liberal aspects of Smith are contrasted, and his writings are situated in context to sort out the contradictions, and to define him as a moderate liberal.

Keywords: Liberalism; Adam Smith; Classical economics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: B12 H11 P10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1007/s11138-019-00474-9

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