Abstract

This thesis sets out to treat Adam Smith’s work as a whole, showing how his two books, The Theory of Moral Sentiments and The Wealth of Nations, both are part of one underlying message rather than opposed to each other. A comprehensive introduction to Smith’s moral philosophy and his remarks on political economy will not only explain his central ideas and put them into context with each other, it will also illustrate how his thought evolved and was inspired by predecessors and contemporaries. Moreover, the alleged Das Adam Smith Problem, holding a contradiction within Smith’s work, will briefly be outlined and put into its historical context. It will be examined, how it came into existence and why it seems, both historically and contentual, untenable. On this basis, this thesis will claim that Smith’s thoughts build one academic project and are connected by a red thread, which is present in both of his books at all time.