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Adam Smith And John Maynard Keynes Summary

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Modern macroeconomic theory can be traced back to the ideas of both Adam Smith, (1723-1790) and John Maynard Keynes (1883-1946). Smith, a Scottish philosopher and economist, is most famous for laying out the fundamental principles of economic theory in his book An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. In his renowned work, Smith developed the framework of a classical free-market economy where consumable goods can be bought and sold with no government restriction. Smith drew from the previous but scattered research of others to found what was to become known as the field of economics. Following in Smith’s footsteps, John Maynard Keynes, a British economist, fundamentally changed the ideas and policies of modern economics. Keynes transformed economics from an analytical tool into a policy oriented-system. John Maynard Keynes built upon the works of Adam Smith to create an economic system that is still in place today. Their contribution to the Industrial Revolution was not one of business or product, but rather one of idea and policy; their product is “economics.”
Adam Smith was born on June 5, 1723, in Kirkcaldy, Scotland. At the age of 14, Smith attended the University of Glasgow where the lectures of Francis Hutcheson significantly impacted him. Three years later, Smith attended Balliol College in Oxford. Smith attended Balliol for seven years before receiving a bachelor of arts degree. Upon Graduation, Smith returned to Kirkcaldy for a few years

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