PUBLIC MARKS with tags capitalism & "wealth of nations"

Two events made 1776 a remarkable year. The first is the well-known Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress. The other, which ultimately has had a far greater influence on the world in which we live, was the quiet publication of The Wealth of Nations by Scottish philosopher Adam Smith. Calling Smith an economist belies the fact that prior to The Wealth of Nations "economics" did not exist. His book is the foundation of the academic discipline.