For over a century, scholars of political economy debated the compatibility of Adam Smith's *The Theory of Moral Sentiments* (which posits sympathy as the primary driver of human behavior) and *The Wealth of Nations* (which emphasizes self-interest). Nineteenth-century German commentators termed this apparent contradiction 'Das Adam Smith Problem,' arguing that Smith had undergone a fundamental shift in his view of human nature. However, modern scholarship has largely resolved this division by demonstrating that Smith did not view sympathy and self-interest as mutually exclusive forces. Rather, sympathy serves as the underlying social framework that establishes moral bounds, within which self-interested economic exchanges can function productively. Thus, the two works represent complementary parts of a unified, overarching inquiry into the moral and economic foundations of civil society.
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
- ATo trace the broad historical evolution of political economy from the eighteenth century to the present day.
- BTo identify the historical origin of the term 'Das Adam Smith Problem' as coined by nineteenth-century German commentators.
- To outline a long-standing academic debate regarding the consistency of Adam Smith's theories and explain how modern scholarship has reconciled his works.Cevap
- DTo argue that Adam Smith's treatise on sympathy is ultimately incompatible with his work on economic self-interest.