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Great Thinkers in Economics
Adam Smith: A Moral Philosopher and His Political Economy
This book presents the authentic Adam Smith and explores his underlying approach and radical thinking, aiming to re-establish his original intentions. The book provides a crucial reminder of how relevant Adam Smith was in his own time, and how relevant he remains as we experience the worldwide spread of opulence today.
- GenresEconomics
301 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
2 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Gavin Kennedy
64 books26 followersGavin Kennedy was a Scottish economist and founder of Negotiate. He was a leading figure in the world of negotiation and was involved in many high profile consultancy cases for governments and businesses. He was a Professor Emeritus at the University of Edinburgh.
Kennedy studied economics at Strathclyde University, graduating with a BA in 1965 and then studying for an MSc. After taking a Ph.D. at Brunel University in London, he returned to Strathclyde as a senior lecturer in 1973. In 1980 he left Strathclyde for a professorial chair at Heriot-Watt University, and in 1986 he founded a company, Negotiate, to commercialise what he was teaching. He trained thousands of managers in the techniques he had developed.
Kennedy also wrote biographies of William Bligh (1978) and Adam Smith (2005).
In the 1970s, Kennedy became active in the Scottish National Party (SNP). In 1976 he wrote a paper entitled A Defence Budget for Scotland and edited a book of essays entitled The Radical Approach: Papers on an Independent Scotland. In the General Election of 1979 he was the SNP candidate in Edinburgh Central and he subsequently joined the left-wing 79 Group.
Kennedy studied economics at Strathclyde University, graduating with a BA in 1965 and then studying for an MSc. After taking a Ph.D. at Brunel University in London, he returned to Strathclyde as a senior lecturer in 1973. In 1980 he left Strathclyde for a professorial chair at Heriot-Watt University, and in 1986 he founded a company, Negotiate, to commercialise what he was teaching. He trained thousands of managers in the techniques he had developed.
Kennedy also wrote biographies of William Bligh (1978) and Adam Smith (2005).
In the 1970s, Kennedy became active in the Scottish National Party (SNP). In 1976 he wrote a paper entitled A Defence Budget for Scotland and edited a book of essays entitled The Radical Approach: Papers on an Independent Scotland. In the General Election of 1979 he was the SNP candidate in Edinburgh Central and he subsequently joined the left-wing 79 Group.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 23, 2017
The book is written so as to be understood by someone who can read on the collegiate level and has taken an introductory course on economics.
In addition to presenting Smith's economic positions, the author devotes considerable attention to works by Smith other than The Wealth of Nations, illustrating a consistent method used by Smith in all of his major writings. Although the author's style can be considered academic, the sentence structure is usually simple, and I had to reread sentences only occasionally to be sure I understood them. The presentation of Smith's theory of economic growth is well written. In the final chapter, on Smith's legacy, I would have preferred that the author spend his time on Smith's considerable accomplishments; instead, he beats the dead horse that Smith is not a doctrinaire proponent of what is called laissez-faire, though that is obvious to anyone who has been exposed to Smith's well-known condemnation of monopolists.
In addition to presenting Smith's economic positions, the author devotes considerable attention to works by Smith other than The Wealth of Nations, illustrating a consistent method used by Smith in all of his major writings. Although the author's style can be considered academic, the sentence structure is usually simple, and I had to reread sentences only occasionally to be sure I understood them. The presentation of Smith's theory of economic growth is well written. In the final chapter, on Smith's legacy, I would have preferred that the author spend his time on Smith's considerable accomplishments; instead, he beats the dead horse that Smith is not a doctrinaire proponent of what is called laissez-faire, though that is obvious to anyone who has been exposed to Smith's well-known condemnation of monopolists.
January 29, 2022
trying to paint adam smith as a quasi-marginalist was a big turnoff for me
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews