NATURAL PROGRESS AND POLITICAL ACTION IN ADAM SMITH

Authors

  • Alexandre Amaral Rodrigues Universidade de São Paulo. Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.1517-0128.v2i29p40-50

Keywords:

A. Smith – J-J. Rousseau – natural progress – political action., A. Smith , J-J. Rousseau , natural progress , political action

Abstract

This text retakes the questions proposed by Maria das Graças de Souza concerning Jean-Jacques Rousseau and try to verify whether they apply or not to Adam Smith’s thought. According to the author, in Rousseau's thought there are two conceptions of historical time: one of them as determination (i.e., as decline); and the other as “opportune occasion”, i.e. the moment of political action. In Adam Smith, on the other hand, history does not appear as decline, but rather as a “natural progress”, and thus as determination. We try to show, however, that the author also sees the need for political action, albeit with many restrictions.

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References

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MAROUBY, Christian. L’économie de la nature. Paris: Éditions du Seuil, 2004.

SMITH, Adam. An inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nations. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1979.

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SMITH, Adam. The theory of moral sentiments. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1979.

SOUZA, Maria das Graças de. “Ocasião propícia, ocasião nefasta: Tempo, história e política em Rousseau”. Revista Trans/form/ação, UNESP, Marília, vol. 29, n. 2, 2006.

WEST, Edwin G. “Adam Smith and alienation: Wealth increases, men decay?”. In: Essays on Adam Smith. SKINNER, A. S. e WILSON, T. (Orgs.). Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1975. Pp. 540-552.

Published

2016-12-16

Issue

Section

Artigos

How to Cite

Rodrigues, A. A. (2016). NATURAL PROGRESS AND POLITICAL ACTION IN ADAM SMITH. Cadernos De Ética E Filosofia Política, 2(29), 40-50. https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.1517-0128.v2i29p40-50