Science · Philosophy · Literature · 1723–1790
Born: 5 June 1723 · Died: 17 July 1790 · Age at death: 67
Adam Smith died aged 67. He was born on 5 June 1723 and died on 17 July 1790.
Scottish philosopher and author of The Wealth of Nations, often called the father of modern economics and the free market
Did you know?He was reportedly kidnapped by a group of travellers at the age of four but was quickly returned.
Adam Smith is often credited with founding modern economics, and his ideas still shape debates about markets and government. In The Wealth of Nations, published in 1776, he explained how dividing work into specialised tasks massively increases productivity, using the example of a pin factory. His image of an 'invisible hand' described how individual self-interest can, under the right conditions, benefit society as a whole. Yet he was also a moral philosopher who wrote about sympathy and fairness, and he warned about powerful business interests. His portrait appeared on the Bank of England's £20 note.
Adam Smith (baptised 16 June 1723 – 17 July 1790) was a Scottish economist and philosopher who was a pioneer in the field of political economy and key figure during the Scottish Enlightenment.
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Profile
Scottish economist and philosopher, born 1723
Adam Smith was born in Kirkcaldy on 5 June 1723.
He wrote The Wealth of Nations in 1776.
He described the 'invisible hand' of markets.
He taught at the University of Glasgow.
Career highlights
Did you know?He appears on the Bank of England £20 note.
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