Before there was an economics degree anywhere on earth, there was this book. Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations explained how markets coordinate millions of strangers, why specialisation makes nations rich, and how self interest, properly channelled, serves the public good through the famous invisible hand.
Reading the original is a different experience from reading about it: Smith is observant, witty and far more nuanced than both his fans and critics suggest.
The founding text of the modern economy, for entrepreneurs and students alike.
