The Problems and Promise of Commercial Society: Adam Smith's Response to Rousseau

204 Pages·2008·1.66 MB·English

by  Dennis Carl Rasmussen

The Problems and Promise of Commercial Society
adam smith’s response to rousseau
DENNIS C. RASMUSSEN
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The Problems and Promise of Commercial Society
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The Problems and Promise of Commercial Society
adam smith’s response to rousseau
DENNIS C. RASMUSSEN
the pennsylvania state university press
university park, pennsylvania
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Rasmussen, Dennis Carl, 1978–
The problems and promise of commercial
society : Adam Smith’s response to
Rousseau / Dennis C. Rasmussen.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-271-03348-8 (cloth : alk. paper)
1. Smith, Adam, 1723–1790.
2. Rousseau, Jean-Jacques, 1712–1778.
3. Capitalism.
I. Title.
HB103.S6R38 2008
330.15’3—dc22
2007034911
Copyright © 2008
The Pennsylvania State University
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
Published by The Pennsylvania State University
Press,
University Park, PA 16802-1003
The Pennsylvania State University Press is a member
of the Association of American University Presses.
It is the policy of The Pennsylvania State University
Press to use acid-free paper. This book is printed on
Natures Natural, containing 50% post-consumer waste,
and meets the minimum requirements of
American National Standard for Information
Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library
Material, ANSI Z39.48–1992.
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contents
Acknowledgments
vii
List of Abbreviations
ix
Introduction
1
one |
Rousseau’s Unhappy Vision of Commercial Society
15
two |
Smith’s Sympathy with Rousseau’s Critique
51
three |
The European Peasant and the Prudent Man
91
four |
Progress and Happiness
131
Conclusion
159
References
177
Index
187
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acknowledgments
The joys of Wnishing a Wrst book are many, but chief among them, for me,
is the opportunity it presents to express my gratitude to those who have
supported me along the way. Given that this book grew out of my disser-
tation, I must begin by thanking my teachers, who showed me through
their example what it means to be a devoted teacher and scholar. During
my time as an undergraduate at Michigan State’s James Madison College,
Louis Hunt, David Leibowitz, Folke Lindahl, Arthur Melzer, and particularly
Richard Zinman taught me both to take political theory seriously and to
appreciate its charms. At Duke, I beneWted from continual insight and
encouragement from my dissertation committee, including Neil De Marchi,
Michael Gillespie, Tom Spragens, and above all my adviser, Ruth Grant. I
have also beneWted greatly, both during that time and since, from the advice,
conversation, and friendship of my fellow graduate students, especially Bill
Curtis and Ari Kohen. My colleagues during two years in a visiting posi-
tion at Bowdoin College, Gerry DiGiusto and Paul Franco, have been a con-
stant source of support and guidance as well.
For valuable comments on the manuscript, either in whole or in part, I
would especially like to thank Bill Curtis, Sam Fleischacker, Michael Gil-
lespie, Ruth Grant, Charles Griswold, Ari Kohen, and John Scott. Several
parts of the book were presented as papers at various conferences; I am
grateful to Ryan Hanley, Ted Harpham, Sharon Krause, Iain McLean, Tom
Merrill, Jerry Muller, Patricia Nordeen, and Joseph Reisert for their helpful
observations on these papers. Portions of Chapters 2 and 4 have appeared
previously as “Rousseau’s ‘Philosophical Chemistry’ and the Foundations
of Adam Smith’s Thought,” History of Political Thought 27, no. 4 (2006):
620–41; and “Does ‘Bettering Our Condition’ Really Make Us Better Off?
Adam Smith on Progress and Happiness,” American Political Science Review
100, no. 3 (2006): 309–18. I thank these journals for permission to reprint
these materials.
Finally, it is not only out of custom that I say that my greatest debt is the
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viii | acknowledgments
one I owe to my family and friends. I could not hope to describe or repay
the unstinting love and support that my parents, Richard and Jeanette Ras-
mussen, have given me over the years; this book is, of course, dedicated to
them. I am also indebted to my friends for their encouragement, good
humor, and much else besides; I would like to make special mention of Ian
Boyko and Dan Eschtruth, whose friendships have been lifelong sources of
fun, companionship, and intellectual stimulation. I met my Wancée, Emily
Wiemers, fairly late in the writing of this book, but not too late to conWrm
that Smith was onto something in supposing that “the chief part of human
happiness arises from the consciousness of being beloved” (TMSI.ii.5.1, 41).
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abbreviations
When referring to works by Adam Smith and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, I
have used the abbreviations and editions listed below. All translations from
French texts are my own. Where appropriate, I have included references to
volume, book, part, chapter, and/or paragraph numbers in addition to the
page number.
works of adam smith
Astronomy “The History of Astronomy.” In Essays on Philosophical Sub-
jects. Edited by W. P. D. Wightman and J. C. Bryce. Indi-
anapolis: Liberty Fund, 1982.
CAS Correspondence of Adam Smith. Edited by E. C. Mossner and
I. S. Ross. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1987.
ED “Early Draft” of Part of the Wealth of Nations. In Lectures on
Jurisprudence. Edited by R. L. Meek, D. D. Raphael, and P. G.
Stein. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1982.
EPS Essays on Philosophical Subjects. Edited by W. P. D. Wightman
and J. C. Bryce. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1982.
Letter “A Letter to the Authors of the Edinburgh Review.” In Essays
on Philosophical Subjects. Edited by W. P. D. Wightman and
J. C. Bryce. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1982.
LJ Lectures on Jurisprudence. Edited by R. L. Meek, D. D. Raphael,
and P.G. Stein. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1982.
LRBL Lectures on Rhetoric and Belles Lettres. Edited by J. C. Bryce.
Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1985.
TMS The Theory of Moral Sentiments. Edited by A. L. MacWe and
D. D. Raphael. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1982.
WN An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations.
Edited by R. H. Campbell and A. S. Skinner. Two volumes.
Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1981.