An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, better known by the shortened title of The Wealth of Nations, is the magnum opus of the work of the Scottish economist, philosopher, and author Adam Smith. The concept of the invisible hand is derived from this classic and though there is disagreement as to Smiths purpose in the message, it is generally considered the greatest works of modern economics. This is a complete and unedited virsion of the original English of AN INQUIRY INTO THE NATURE AND CAUSES OF THE WEALTH OF NATIONS by Adam Smith. The English language has evolved since the writing and some of the words appear in their original form, or at least the form most commonly used at the time. This is done to protect the original intent of the author. If at any time you are unsure of the meaning of the original meaning of a word, please do your research on that word. It is important to preserve the history of the English language. Odin's Library Classics is dedicated to bringing the world the best of humankind's literature from throughout the ages. Carefully selected, each work is unabridged from classic works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or drama.