Adam Smith on the Ancients and the Moderns

Gloria Vivenza studied at the Faculty of Letters in the University of Padua, and then she began her academic career as Professor of Economic History at the University of Catania and History of Economic Thought at the University of Verona. She is a life member of the Clare Hall College at the University of Cambridge, UK. She analysed the relevance of the classical training in Adam Smith’s works in her book Adam Smith and the classics and several essays on the same subject.

• Chap. 1: Reading the classics1.1 The classics in the Baroque age 1.2 Classical studies and modern thinking: Adam Smith’s synthesis1.3 Aristocratic virtues and commercial ethics 1.4 The relationship between benevolentia and fides1.5 Paganism, religion, and conscience in Adam Smith’s writings References Chap. 2: Between history and philosophy2.1 On ancient demography 2.2 On historical writing 2.3 On the interpretation of ancient history 2.4 "Otherness" and classical citizenship 2.5 Smith’s history of ancient philosophy ReferencesChap. 3: Philosophy and politics3.1 Cato, the republican ideal, and the difficult relationship of philosophers with politics3.2 Ancient Romans through modern eyes3.3 Ancient and modern freedom 3.4 Adam Smith and democracy3.5 Labour and political activity: classical and modern themes in Adam SmithReferencesChap. 4: Benevolence and other virtues4.1 Adam Smith and classical philosophies4.2 Virtue and self-control: apathy or medietas? 4.3 Classical origins of benevolence in economics' language (from classical evergesia to the butcher's and baker's lack of benevolence)4.4 Closing remarks References