Adam Smith wrote moral philosophy and political economy about sympathy, markets, labour and the institutions that shape prosperity. The Theory of Moral Sentiments examines how people form moral judgements through sympathy, social observation and the imagined perspective of an impartial spectator. The Wealth of Nations turns towards division of labour, prices, trade, taxation and the role of government in a commercial society. Smith is often reduced to a simple advocate of self-interest, but reading the two books together shows a broader concern with social norms, justice and the conditions under which markets function. His prose is systematic but full of concrete examples drawn from work and exchange. His writings sit within classical economics, moral philosophy and Enlightenment political thought. The Wealth of Nations is the central economic text; The Theory of Moral Sentiments gives essential context for his view of human behaviour. Read more Less
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