Comparing Augustine's Version of Adam Smith's 'the Poor Man's Son' Analysis with Adam Smith's Version: Wealth Can't Make You Happy, but the Pursuit of Virtue Will

Abstract

Augustine’s argument about the failure of wealth to insure one’s happiness is very similar to Adam Smith’s position except that Augustine compares a lower income or middle income class citizen with a rich citizen while Smith compares a lower income class citizen,or poor citizen, with a rich citizen. The conclusions of Augustine and Smith are very similar. Wealth and riches can’t make you happy. This conclusion is directly opposite to the conclusion reached by Jeremy Bentham’s utilitarian ethics that the more material goods you own, the more happy you will be.