1723–1790 · economics, free markets, moral philosophy
Adam Smith (1723–1790) was a Scottish moral philosopher and political economist, widely regarded as the father of modern economics. He is best known for his works 'The Theory of Moral Sentiments' (1759) and 'An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations' (1776). His ideas on free markets, the division of labor, and the 'invisible hand' fundamentally shaped classical economic thought.