Thomas Malthus and Adam Smith had contrasting views on economic progress. While Adam Smith's *The Wealth of Nations* provided an optimistic vision of economic progress, Malthus did not share the same view. He believed that even if technology improved and raised the productivity of labor, people would still have more children as soon as they were somewhat better off, leading to population growth until living standards fell to subsistence level, halting the population increase. This vicious circle of poverty was widely accepted as inevitable. 

San Jose State University

Adam Smith (1723–1790) is widely regarded as the founder of modern economics. Raised in Scotland by his widowed mother, he studied philosophy at the University of Glasgow before attending Oxford. His experiences and studies culminated in his most famous work, *An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations*, which addresses the core economic question of why some nations are wealthier than others. Smith's intellectual contributions were not limited to economics; his earlier work, *The Theory of Moral Sentiments*, explored ethics and human motivation beyond pure self-interest.

Adam Smith (1723–1790)

Thomas Robert Malthus was an English clergyman whose influential 1798 work, *An Essay on the Principle of Population*, introduced a simple but powerful economic model. This model was based on the idea that a feedback loop connects population size to living standards: agricultural output determines living standards, which in turn affects population growth. From this, Malthus concluded that any sustained increase in income per capita was impossible, presenting a pessimistic view on economic progress.

Thomas Malthus

To cite The Economy, we suggest combining the referencing style for an ebook and treating each unit as a chapter, for instance (using Harvard style): Bowles, S., Carlin, W. and Stevens, M. (2017). ‘Property and power: Mutual gains and conflicts’. Unit 5 in The CORE team, The Economy. Available at: https://www.core-econ.org. [Accessed on (date)].

https://www.core-econ.org/the-economy/v1/book/text/0-3-contents.html

CORE Econ - The Economy 1.0

- *An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations* (1776)
- *The Theory of Moral Sentiments* (1759)

Adam Smith's Works

Comparing Views of Adam Smith and Thomas Malthus

In *The Wealth of Nations*, Adam Smith introduced the 'invisible hand' as one of economics' most enduring metaphors. He explained that a businessman who 'intends only his own gain,' is 'led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention.' This logic, where the pursuit of self-interest promotes societal good, serves as the basis for the economic model of a perfectly competitive market. Smith argued that by pursuing their own interests, individuals often promote the good of society more effectively than when they consciously try to do so. He reinforced the primacy of self-interest in economic exchanges with the observation that 'Nobody but a beggar chooses to depend chiefly upon the benevolence of his fellow-citizens.' However, it's crucial to understand this concept within the context of Smith's broader philosophy. His earlier work, *The Theory of Moral Sentiments*, presents a more nuanced view of human motivation that acknowledges innate principles of sympathy and concern for others, which temper pure self-interest.

Invisible Hand in *Wealth of Nations*

Adam Smith's radical and famous claim was that economic coordination among numerous independent individuals could emerge spontaneously, without any person or institution consciously creating or managing it. This idea directly challenged earlier concepts of political and economic organization, which held that order had to be imposed from the top down by rulers to ensure a functional society.

Spontaneous Economic Organization in *Wealth of Nations*

- Spontaneous Economic Organization
- Invisible Hand
- Market Expansion
- Monopolies and Collusion
- Division of Labour

Key ideas in *Wealth of Nations*

Adam Smith's economic thinking was significantly shaped by his time at the University of Glasgow. The university was a major hub for both Enlightenment thought and colonial trade, and this dual environment of intellectual ferment and commercial activity was instrumental in forming his economic perspectives.

Influence of the University of Glasgow on Adam Smith's Economic Thought

One of Adam Smith's key insights was that the division of labor, also known as specialization, is a major driver of prosperity, although its potential is limited by the 'extent of the market'. To illustrate this, Smith presented the case of a pin factory. He reported that ten men, each specializing in one or two of the eighteen distinct steps of pin-making, could together produce nearly 50,000 pins daily. In contrast, he argued that if each worker performed all the steps independently, they would struggle to produce even twenty pins, and possibly not a single one, in a day.

Example of the Division of Labour: Pin Factory in *Wealth of Nations*

Adam Smith identified several essential roles for government. He concurred with his contemporaries that the government is responsible for national defense against external threats and for ensuring justice through police and a court system. Additionally, Smith advocated for government funding of public education and infrastructure, including projects like bridges, roads, and canals.

Adam Smith on the Government's Role in a Capitalist Economy

The creation of *The Wealth of Nations* began during Adam Smith's travels in Europe. While staying in Toulouse, France, Smith reportedly found himself with little to occupy his time and decided 'to write a book in order to pass away the time.' This project evolved into what is now considered the most famous book in the field of economics.

Origin of The Wealth of Nations

Before Adam Smith, the common understanding of political and economic organization was that order needed to be imposed from the top down. It was believed that rulers were responsible for consciously creating and enforcing order upon their subjects to ensure a functional society.

Pre-Smithian View of Economic Order

Specialization in the production of goods and services is a significant economic shift that was already in progress during Adam Smith's lifetime and has accelerated dramatically since. As Smith explained, specialization involves individuals focusing on a limited range of activities, which enhances their productivity. He identified three main reasons for this increase in efficiency. A major consequence of this shift is the increased interdependence among producers, which necessitates systems for distributing goods and services, as individuals no longer produce all they need for themselves.

Specialization in Production

This principle, from Chapter 3 of Adam Smith's *The Wealth of Nations*, states that the degree of specialization is limited by the market's size. Smith argued that in a very small market, there is little incentive for an individual to focus entirely on one occupation. This is because a specialist produces a surplus of one good, far more than they can consume personally. To benefit from specialization, they must be able to exchange this surplus for the various other goods they need, which are produced by other specialists. If the market is too small to facilitate this exchange, specialization is not viable. Consequently, Smith viewed market expansion as crucial for achieving the productivity gains from the division of labor and, ultimately, for economic prosperity.

The Division of Labour is Limited by the Extent of the Market

A fundamental ideological divergence in economic thought is represented by Adam Smith and Karl Marx. Smith, writing at the dawn of capitalism, became its most famous proponent. In stark contrast, Marx observed capitalism's maturation in industrial England and became its most renowned critic.

Adam Smith's Advocacy vs. Karl Marx's Critique of Capitalism

In *The Wealth of Nations*, Adam Smith highlighted collusion as a key failing of the market system. He famously wrote, 'People in the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public; or in some contrivance to raise prices.' This illustrates his view that sellers often conspire to avoid competition and manipulate prices for their own gain. Smith also strongly condemned government-protected monopolies, using the British East India Company as an example of an entity that distorted the free market and harmed consumers.

Adam Smith's View on Monopolies and Collusion

A well-known portrait exists of the economist Adam Smith, which is frequently used as a visual representation of him in discussions of his work and economic theories.

Portrait of Adam Smith

Malthus's model is a simplified framework for explaining the relationship between employment and output. It is constructed using core economic concepts that are widely applicable, particularly the production function and the diminishing average product of labor. The theory posits two key relationships: first, that agricultural output is determined by the size of the workforce, and second, that living standards influence population growth. The interplay of these elements creates a feedback loop that, according to the model, traps income at a subsistence level.

Malthusian Model: Core Concepts and Economic Relationships

The Malthusian cycle was not permanent. The rapid technological advancements and the increasing reliance on non-renewable resources during the Industrial Revolution caused productivity per person to grow at an unprecedented rate. This rapid growth in technology was the key to breaking the Malthusian trap. As long as the pace of innovation was fast enough to outstrip the population growth that typically followed income increases, the vicious circle of poverty could be broken, leading to a sustained rise in living standards.

Industrial Revolution Challenged Malthus's Claims

Published in 1798 by the English clergyman Thomas Malthus, *An Essay on the Principle of Population* put forward the pessimistic viewpoint that technological progress could not bring about a lasting increase in the standard of living.

An Essay on the Principle of Population (1798)

The Malthusian economic model is founded on a simple feedback mechanism. It proposes that agricultural output, which dictates the population's living standards, is determined by the number of people employed in farming. Subsequently, these living standards directly influence the rate of population growth, creating a cycle that Malthus believed would prevent any long-term increase in income per person.

Learn Before

Related