# The Ideas of Adam Smith

**URL:** <https://www.libertarianism.org/podcasts/free-thoughts/the-ideas-of-adam-smith>

**By** Paul Mueller, Aaron Ross Powell, Trevor Burrus

**Published:** April 29, 2016

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Paul D. Mueller joins us for a discussion on the life and ideas of the Scottish Enlightenment philosopher and pioneer of economic theory, Adam Smith.

What kind of person was Adam Smith? How does Smith's theory of morality compare to other philosophers' theories? What did economics look like before Smith?

Paul Mueller discusses Adam Smith's life and ideas, explains Smith's "invisible hand" and "impartial spectator" analogies, and talks about the marginal revolution that occurred in economics 100 years after Smith's death.

**Show Notes and Further Reading**

Adam Smith's [_Wealth of Nations_](http://www.econlib.org/library/Smith/smWN.html) and [_Theory of Moral Sentiments_](http://www.econlib.org/library/Smith/smMS.html) are great places to start reading Smith in his own words.

Listeners may also want to check out [our Free Thoughts episode with Russ Roberts](https://www.libertarianism.org/podcasts/free-thoughts/how-adam-smith-can-change-your-life) on his book, _How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life_.