The Problems and Promise of Commercial Society

Adam Smith's Response to Rousseau

Nonfiction, History, Modern, 18th Century, Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Political, Social & Cultural Studies, Political Science
Cover of the book The Problems and Promise of Commercial Society by Dennis C. Rasmussen, Penn State University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Dennis C. Rasmussen ISBN: 9780271076041
Publisher: Penn State University Press Publication: April 14, 2008
Imprint: Penn State University Press Language: English
Author: Dennis C. Rasmussen
ISBN: 9780271076041
Publisher: Penn State University Press
Publication: April 14, 2008
Imprint: Penn State University Press
Language: English

Adam Smith is popularly regarded as the ideological forefather of laissez-faire capitalism, while Rousseau is seen as the passionate advocate of the life of virtue in small, harmonious communities and as a sharp critic of the ills of commercial society. But, in fact, Smith had many of the same worries about commercial society that Rousseau did and was strongly influenced by his critique.

In this first book-length comparative study of these leading eighteenth-century thinkers, Dennis Rasmussen highlights Smith’s sympathy with Rousseau’s concerns and analyzes in depth the ways in which Smith crafted his arguments to defend commercial society against these charges. These arguments, Rasmussen emphasizes, were pragmatic in nature, not ideological: it was Smith’s view that, all things considered, commercial society offered more benefits than the alternatives.

Just because of this pragmatic orientation, Smith’s approach can be useful to us in assessing the pros and cons of commercial society today and thus contributes to a debate that is too much dominated by both dogmatic critics and doctrinaire champions of our modern commercial society.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Adam Smith is popularly regarded as the ideological forefather of laissez-faire capitalism, while Rousseau is seen as the passionate advocate of the life of virtue in small, harmonious communities and as a sharp critic of the ills of commercial society. But, in fact, Smith had many of the same worries about commercial society that Rousseau did and was strongly influenced by his critique.

In this first book-length comparative study of these leading eighteenth-century thinkers, Dennis Rasmussen highlights Smith’s sympathy with Rousseau’s concerns and analyzes in depth the ways in which Smith crafted his arguments to defend commercial society against these charges. These arguments, Rasmussen emphasizes, were pragmatic in nature, not ideological: it was Smith’s view that, all things considered, commercial society offered more benefits than the alternatives.

Just because of this pragmatic orientation, Smith’s approach can be useful to us in assessing the pros and cons of commercial society today and thus contributes to a debate that is too much dominated by both dogmatic critics and doctrinaire champions of our modern commercial society.

More books from Penn State University Press

Cover of the book From Windfall to Curse? by Dennis C. Rasmussen
Cover of the book Empowerment and Interconnectivity by Dennis C. Rasmussen
Cover of the book Magic in the Cloister by Dennis C. Rasmussen
Cover of the book Where Honeybees Thrive by Dennis C. Rasmussen
Cover of the book I Saw Water by Dennis C. Rasmussen
Cover of the book Networked Media, Networked Rhetorics by Dennis C. Rasmussen
Cover of the book Territories of History by Dennis C. Rasmussen
Cover of the book Shakespearean Tragedy and Its Double by Dennis C. Rasmussen
Cover of the book Ireland and the Problem of Information by Dennis C. Rasmussen
Cover of the book Income Inequality in Capitalist Democracies by Dennis C. Rasmussen
Cover of the book The Complete Plays of Jean Racine by Dennis C. Rasmussen
Cover of the book Kant and the Promise of Rhetoric by Dennis C. Rasmussen
Cover of the book Reimagining Advocacy by Dennis C. Rasmussen
Cover of the book The Chankas and the Priest by Dennis C. Rasmussen
Cover of the book Forbidden Rites by Dennis C. Rasmussen
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy