Adam Smith
Adam Smith's revolutionary 1776 work shattered the myth that gold equals wealth, revealing instead how human freedom and cooperation drive true prosperity.
Real national wealth is defined by the goods and services a country produces rather than its hoarded piles of gold or silver.
The division of labor dramatically increases productivity by allowing workers to specialize in specific tasks and trade their surplus.
Individuals pursuing their own economic interests often unintentionally promote the public good, a phenomenon famously described as the invisible hand.