Full title: An Inquiry into the Nature ands Causes of the Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith. Published in London by A. Strahan, Printers-Street in 1802. Vol. II. 10th Ed.
Adam Smith LL.D., and F.R.S. of London and Edinburgh: One of the Commissioners of His Majesty's Customs in Scotland; and Formerly Professor of Moral Philosophy in the University of Glasgow.
The bookplate indicates that this was once owned by John McVickar (1787–1868), a prominent 19th-century American Episcopal clergyman, author, and educator. He is most noted for being one of the first individuals in the United States to lecture on political economy, a subject he taught during his long tenure at Columbia College.
Condition: The front cover is nearly detached, however the interior pages are in very good to good condition, with only a few near the end showing some foxing. The book can be handled gently or taken to a bookbinder who can repair it in a couple of different ways. This is a very common task for a bookbinder.
Historical background
From Wikipedia:
"An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, usually referred to by its shortened title The Wealth of Nations, is a book by Scottish economist and philosopher Adam Smith. Published on 9 March 1776, it offers one of the first accounts of what builds nations' wealth. It has become a fundamental work in classical economics, and been described as "the first formulation of a comprehensive system of political economy". Reflecting upon economics at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, Smith introduced key concepts such as the division of labour, productivity, free markets and the role prices play in resource allocation.
"The book fundamentally shaped the field of economics and provided a theoretical foundation for free market capitalism and economic policies that prevailed in the 19th century. A product of the Scottish Enlightenment and the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, the treatise offered a critical examination of the mercantilist policies of the day and advocated the implementation of free trade and effective tax policies to drive economic progress. It represented a clear paradigm shift from previous economic thought by proposing that self-interest and the forces of supply and demand, rather than regulation, should determine economic activity.
"Smith laid out a system of political economy with the famous metaphor of the "invisible hand" regulating the marketplace through individual self-interest. He provided a comprehensive analysis of different economic aspects – the accumulation of stock, price determination, and the flow of labor, capital, and rent. The book contained Smith's critique of mercantilism, high taxes on luxury goods, the slave trade, and monopolies, advocating for free competition and open markets. Over revised editions during his lifetime, the work evolved and gained widespread recognition, shaping economic philosophies, government policies, and the intellectual discourse on trade, taxation, and economic growth in the coming centuries."
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