Adam Smith’s influence on British reform movements of the early-to-mid-19th century

IF 1.4 Q2 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Alexandra Digby
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引用次数: 0

Abstract

The reception of the Wealth of Nations in the years after its publication reveals a wide range of interpretations of Smith’s ideas. On the one hand, Smith appealed to revolutionaries and subversives; on the other hand, he appealed to ‘conservatives’ who supported the burgeoning laissez-faire movement. By 1800, however, in intellectual circles, the ‘conservative’ Smith had largely won out. Yet, this was not the case for advocates of working-class interests. As this paper will show, reformers of the early-to-mid-19th century emphasized Smith’s sympathetic attitude towards the labouring poor, his labour theory of value and his distinction between productive and unproductive labour. Reformers turned to Smith for intellectual validation of the workers’ right to vote and often to a larger share of the national produce, hailing him as a supporter of the working classes. The backlash against the ‘subversive’ Smith was significant, with protectors of the status quo pointing to the dangers of ‘misrepresenting’ Smith’s ideas.

亚当-斯密对 19 世纪早期至中期英国改革运动的影响
国富论》出版后的几年里,人们对斯密思想的解读可谓五花八门。一方面,斯密吸引了革命者和颠覆者;另一方面,他吸引了支持新兴自由放任运动的 "保守派"。然而,到了 1800 年,在知识界,"保守派 "斯密基本胜出。然而,工人阶级利益的倡导者却并非如此。正如本文将展示的那样,19 世纪早期至中期的改革者强调斯密对贫困劳工的同情态度、他的劳动价值论以及他对生产性劳动和非生产性劳动的区分。改革者从斯密那里获得了工人投票权的知识验证,并经常获得更多的国家产品份额,称赞他是工人阶级的支持者。对 "颠覆性 "斯密的反弹是巨大的,现状的保护者指出了 "歪曲 "斯密思想的危险。
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来源期刊
CiteScore
3.10
自引率
7.10%
发文量
47
期刊介绍: International Politics?is a leading peer reviewed journal dedicated to transnational issues and global problems. It subscribes to no political or methodological identity and welcomes any appropriate contributions designed to communicate findings and enhance dialogue.International Politics?defines itself as critical in character truly international in scope and totally engaged with the central issues facing the world today. Taking as its point of departure the simple but essential notion that no one approach has all the answers it aims to provide a global forum for a rapidly expanding community of scholars from across the range of academic disciplines.International Politics?aims to encourage debate controversy and reflection. Topics addressed within the journal include:Rethinking the Clash of CivilizationsMyths of WestphaliaHolocaust and ChinaLeo Strauss and the Cold WarJustin Rosenberg and Globalisation TheoryPutin and the WestThe USA Post-BushCan China Rise Peacefully Just WarsCuba Castro and AfterGramsci and IRIs America in Decline。
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