A faith that is intended to be reassuring
"Smith’s faith that our innate dispositions will not only preserve society, but allow it to enjoy a measure of prosperity regardless of the particular system of political economy, or indeed the particular form of government espoused by those in authority, is probably intended to be reassuring. Whether the statesman sits still or adopts measures in obedience to this or that system of ‘political economy’, the outcome will be more or less the same: greater prosperity for all." (Jonathan Conlin, Critical Lives-Adam Smith)
What does "Smith's faith ... is probably intended to be reassuring" mean here?
Top answer
alibey1917 What does "Smith's faith ... is probably intended to be reassuring" mean here? It's hard to say if you don't know Smith in depth, and I do not.
- alibey1917 What does "Smith's faith ...
- is probably intended to be reassuring" mean here?
- It's hard to say if you don't know Smith in depth, and I do not.
- Just going by what the writer put there, Smith did not espouse the idea that human nature tends to goodness because he believed that but because he thought people needed to hear it.
- People would feel better if they thought that bad government would be counterbalanced by an innately virtuous populace, the very people he was writing for.
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alibey1917What does "Smith's faith ... is probably intended to be reassuring" mean here?
It's hard to say if you don't know Smith in depth, and I do not. Just going by what the writer put there, Smith did not espouse the idea that human nature tends to goodness because he believed that but because he thought people needed to hear it. People would feel bette
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