Study Questions

Adam Smith, Karl Marx and the Industrial Revolution

• For Smith, what is human nature? What if what Smith says is human nature really isn’t? How does Marx respond to this conception and to trying to conceptualize human nature in general?
• How does Smith say the division of labor came about? What are its positive effects according to him?
• Why does Smith have such an extensive discussion of feudal society? What does feudal society provide him an example of? What happens as commerce is introduced to feudal society, in terms of wealth and power?
• Marx begins by claiming to “proceed from the premises of political economy.” Why does he claim this? Is it a valid claim? What does this mean in actual practice? Does this hurt his case? Does it make it stronger?
• Is Marx a Rousseauan thinker? Why or why not?