The Historical Streams of Adam Smith’s An Inquiry Into The Nature and Causes of The Wealth of Nations

Abstract

Set time as independent variable with historical method, regard Adam Smith and his An Inquiry Into The Nature and Causes of The Wealth of Nations as an ecosystem, explore the inputs to this ecosystem by analysing literature text and abstract two streams therein: one stream from the west, one stream from the east, investigate their flowing trace and coupling process, seek conceivable pattern in chaos, draw a personal imperfect summing-up on the Historical Streams of Adam Smith’s An Inquiry Into The Nature and Causes of The Wealth of Nations: its discourse system came from the west demonstrably: the attention to people, the legality of private property, the concept of economy from Xenophon, the thought of division of labour from Xenophon and Plato, the distinction between natural and unnatural from Aristotle to natural law and moral philosophy, the discovery of rule of supply and demand, and the development of Commerce and agriculture in Europe… its policy orientation was influenced by the concepts of Tao, i.e. law of nature, and the inaction from China. History can be regard as a winding, discreate watershed relating with multiple streams. The interflow of streams of different civilization, may be able to provide more choices for the opening of thought window and more genes for the ecology to evolve.