Adam Smith on beneficence, justice, and society

Abstract

In “The Theory of Moral Sentiments” Adam Smith (1759) first formulates a theory of community, or human sociality, based on two moral pillars that relate exclusively to human actions: Beneficence and Justice. Second, by carefully distinguishing between the common property of people to have self-interest and the actions prompted by this interest, Smith models the diverse forms of human behavior among people, all of whom know that each of them is pursuing his own interests. Third, he finds evidence in religion that morality arose in ancient times in virtually all cultures. Smith’s methodology of analysis, which first examines the origins of human activity and then its consequences, remains relevant for understanding the social and economic processes of the 21st century. This article is devoted to revealing these aspects of Adam Smith’s work. The first section shows how exactly beneficence and justice are derived from the selfish interests of people. The second section demonstrates how Adam Smith, based on the distinction between the commonality of human properties and the diversity of their personal interests and actions, explains the process of the formation of social rules, the emergence of religion and morality. The result of this article is the proof of the thesis: Adam Smith’s theory of natural freedom is built not only on the basis of the possibility of realizing personal interest, but also on the concepts of beneficence and justice that preceded this realization, developed in the “Theory of Moral Sentiments”. Thus, for a comprehensive understanding of the “Wealth of Nations”, a conceptual connection with Smith’s earlier ideas is necessary.