The Wealth of Nations

By: Adam Smith

Narrated by: Gildart Jackson

The foundation for all modern economic thought and political economy, The Wealth of Nations is the magnum opus of Scottish economist Adam Smith, who introduces the world to the very idea of economics and capitalism in the modern sense of the words. Smith details his argument in five books:

• Book I. Of the Causes of Improvement in the Productive Power of Labour
• Book II. Of the Nature, Accumulation, and Employment of Stock Introduction
• Book III. Of the Different Progress of Opulence in Different Nations
• Book IV. Of Systems of Political Economy
• Book V. Of the Revenue of the Sovereign or Commonwealth

Taken together, these books form a giant leap forward in the field of economics. A product of the "Age of Enlightenment," The Wealth of Nations is a must for all who wish to gain a better understanding of the principles upon which all modern capitalistic economies have been founded and the process of wealth creation that is engendered by those principles.

Public Domain (P)2010 Tantor

Amazingly accessible

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely. I had thought the Smith had anticipated much of our current understanding of the way markets function. Instead, he had all of the fundamentals figured out. I was fearing that it would be quite obscure in topic and language, but found it pleasantly accessible, if perhaps a bit long.

As as reading the classics, I would definitely recommend this.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The market.

What about Gildart Jackson???s performance did you like?

It fit the material.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

The Way Your World Works

Not just for hard conservatives

I think Adam Smith is among a canon of writers (Ayn Rand definitely included) who are abused by conservatives, many of whom do not seem to be really familiar with the actual writing. So I would encourage progressives to give this a careful listen, even if they are not classical liberals in orientation, as I am. For instance, Adam Smith laid out the argument, at the time of the birth of the United States, that paying workers less than a living wage was unsustainable in a truly market economy. It's on us, then, to answer why this has actually sustained in the US economy, particularly in the time since the 1970s. For his time, he is remarkably thoughtful, he is able for instance to analyze the situation of the English colonies in a way that mostly (not always) avoids descending into racism, for instance really offering a sensible look at the role economics took in souring the relation between the UK and India, and the course of events that inevitably led from this writing in the late 18th century, to India's independence in the 20th century.

The narrator, Mr. Jackson, is lovely in the sense that he has a sartorial style one imagines to involve powdered wigs and stockinged legs - in other words, he reads this as a period piece, and I find this really nice, in that it does help contextualize what Adam Smith was saying in the time he lived, although some things are tremendously insightful, such as it is impressive how insightful his views on monetary policy of his day, including issues we no longer deal with, such as gold coins wearing down, also apply to the modern era, in which cash money has to be increasingly sophisticated to guard against counterfeit. In any event, I think everyone should read this book, regardless of political ideology. For progressives, I think you will find there is more here to value than you think. For conservatives, you should listen to what he actually said and not what a radio pundit told you he said.

The performce is perfect.

I love it very much. It is a good book for read. The overall is amazing.

A Financial Trip, Back in Time

If you enjoy reading books, about contemporary, financial, and economic, issues, this book is for you. This is the financial book, of financial books.

excellent

tough read. but invaluable. learned so much. love the voice. puts a lot into perspective