Smith joined a moral psychology of sympathy to an account of commercial society, explaining both ethical judgment and economic coordination without reducing either to private selfishness.
Intellectual setting
A professor of moral philosophy at Glasgow, Smith wrote amid Scottish Enlightenment debates about sociability, jurisprudence, commerce, empire, and the authority of political economy.
Key ideas
Impartial spectator
Moral judgment develops as people imagine the standpoint of a well-informed, disinterested observer who can assess their motives and conduct.
Division of labour
Specialization can greatly increase productivity, but it also creates dependence, unequal bargaining power, and a need for public education and institutions.
Legacy
He is central to modern moral philosophy and political economy, although later invocations of a laissez-faire Smith often omit his account of sympathy, justice, education, and public institutions.