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‘PLUNDERING THE LIBERAL PHILOSOPHICAL TRADITION’? THE USE OR ABUSE OF ADAM SMITH IN PARLIAMENT, 1919–2023

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 November 2023

Zachary Greene ,
Jan M. Jasinski Open the ORCID record for Jan M. Jasinski [Opens in a new window] ,
Graeme Roy ,
Thomas Schober  and
Thomas J. Scotto
Zachary Greene
Affiliation:
School of Government and Public Policy, University Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
Jan M. Jasinski
Affiliation:
Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
Graeme Roy*
Affiliation:
Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
Thomas Schober
Affiliation:
School of Government and Public Policy, University Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
Thomas J. Scotto
Affiliation:
School of Social and Political Science, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
*
Corresponding author: Graeme Roy; Email: graeme.roy@glasgow.ac.uk
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Abstract

The contemporary relevance of Adam Smith is evidenced by continued reference to his name. Computational analysis identifies over 700 mentions of Smith and his two famous works—The Theory of Moral Sentiments and The Wealth of Nations—in post-World War 1 House of Commons debates. We find some parliamentarians appreciate Smith’s complex ideas, but most references are ‘ornamental’. Charting Smith’s use over the decades, this paper builds on Kirk Willis’ idea that studying parliamentary debates are an ideal way to understand how, at best, policy ideas, germinate and disseminate over time, or, at worst, how ‘complex ideas became slogans’.

Keywords

Adam SmithHansardparliamentary debateshistory of economic thoughtparliamentary speechesornamentalismWealth of NationsA1B2B12B310
Type
Research Article
Information
National Institute Economic Review , Volume 265: Special issue: "ADAM SMITH@300" , Autumn 2023 , pp. 144 - 156
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of National Institute Economic Review

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