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J.D. Tuccille: The one book Trump really needs to read

The Wealth of Nations insights into freedom and prosperity remain as relevant today as ever

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Monday, March 9, marks 250 years since the publication of Adam Smith’s An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. National Post has asked experts and Smith admirers to reflect on the meaning of this seminal work.

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How time flies, and how little seems to change while it does so. Two hundred and fifty years ago, Adam Smith’s seminal book, An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, usually abbreviated as The Wealth of Nations, was originally published. In the first clear statement of modern economic ideas, Smith criticized the then-popular fetish that limiting imports, promoting exports, and hoarding precious metal were the keys to prosperity. Instead, he pointed out that wealth is gained by producing, buying, and selling in a state of liberty.

J.D. Tuccille: The one book Trump really needs to read Back to video

As influential as Smith’s book has been, its insights remain relevant in a world where politicians like U.S. President Donald Trump insist that unfettered trade is a sucker’s game.

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