Bernard de Mandeville, Adam Smith and virtuous knaves of our times
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 10713853 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Robert Holman (corresponding author) |
| Year | 2004 |
| Volume | 52 |
| Issue | 5 |
| Pages | 657-662 |
| Publication date | 2004-10-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Politická ekonomie (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0032-3233 • E-ISSN: 2336-8225 |
| Publisher | Prague University of Economics and Business (PUBLISHER • CZ) |
| DOI | 10.18267/j.polek.481 |
| OpenAlex | W2326586165 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 19 |
This is the reaction on the article of VĂĄclav KlusoĹ "Come-Backs of Dr. Bernard Mandeville: Virtuous Knaves in Economic Transformation". I put in contrast economic thinking of B. Mandeville and A. Smith and argue that both Smith's social and moral philosophy and his economic thought is more relevant for our present time. Smith's system of natural liberty - free trade and free enterprise - brings the invisible hand of the markets to work and transform self-interests of individuals into social benefits. I doubt that knaves were becoming virtuous in the process of transformation and privatization. Rather it is the other way around: virtuous men are becoming knaves in our present social, political and economic system of excessive taxation and regulations. The state is so much involved in bureaucratic, regulative and redistributive activities that it fails to function as the guardian of law and order
Adam smith · Economics · Humanities · Neoclassical economics · Economic Theory and Institutions · Historical Economic and Legal Thought · Historical Economic and Social Studies · Philosophy
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |