The Good Ghanaian Society While the end of that search [of the Good Society] remains elusive, I am convinced that the search itself isn’t illusive. –James O’toole What constitutes a good society to each and every individual within that society would be a different answer. This is because we speak different tongues, desire different ends, and have different basic assumptions about where the Ghanaian society, and the corporations we work in, should be heading. Despite this kaleidoscope of opinions, fortunately there is a unifying point of agreement: ‘the task of every legitimate government is to secure a good society for its citizens.’ Nearly every political and economic philosopher from the time of Aristotle to Max Weber has agreed that the provision of a good society is the ultimate purpose of government. Once the role of government has been defined, it thus becomes imperative to further define how this good society would be established and it is at this point that all the great thinkers whose works are sandwiched in the library between Aristotle and Weber, defined it differently. To Aristotle, the Good Society permits some of its members to live the good life. To Hobbes, it provides sufficient order to allow material progress. To Locke, it guarantees life, liberty and prosperity. To Rousseau, it preserves as much as possible the conditions of liberty and equality that humankind enjoyed in the ‘state of nature’. To Adam Smith, it has nearly absolute economic freedom. To Thomas Jefferson, it consists of people who live in small- scale, rural communities characterized by high quality of life. To Alexander Hamilton, it consists of people who live in modern industrial cities characterized by a high standard of living. To Marx, it ha... ... middle of paper ... ...ndon: Print. Okun. (1975). Equality and Efficiency : The Big Trade Off. Colorado : Brookings Institution Press . O'Toole, J. (1993). the Executive Compass . New York, Madison : Oxford University Press. O'Toole, J. (1993). the Executive Compass . New York : Oxford University Press . Rousseau, j. J. (1762). The Social Contract . unknown : unknown. Schumacher, E. F. (1973). Small is beautiful . London : Harper and Prow Publishers Inc. Smith, A. (1776). An inquiry into the nature and causes of the Wealth of Nation . Chicago: Chicago University Press . Smith, A. (1776). An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations . Scothland : W. Strahan and T. Cadell, London. Sophocles. (n.d.). Antigone . Sumner, W. G. (1914). the Challenge of Facts and other essays . New York : Yale University Press . Wiredu, K. (-). the Akan Perspective of Human Rights . Accra : -.
Smith's Influential work, The Wealth of Nations, was written based on the help with the country’s economy who bases it off his book. Smith’s book was mainly written on how inefficient mercantilism was...
Adam Smith, An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, (London: 1776), 190-91, 235-37.
Thomas Paine begins his article by first exploring the differences between society and government. He explains that, “society in every state is a blessing, but government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil.” (Frohnen 179) What he means by this is that to have society and community is a privilege, because we as humans are designed to have a need for human interaction, while government on the other hand is only a necessary evil, simply because we as humans are also designed to be inherently evil, and therefore government is a necessary evil to have in order to monitor wrongdoing, or to keep us from our own vices in other words. This emphasizes the Classical Christian Anthropological principle of duality, which is the inner struggle that we as humans have between amor sui, the love of self, and amor dei, the love of God. This struggle springs from the fact that evil is found within man, and we must mak...
Adam Smith has developed and created the most influential works of economic, philosophy and beyond. Adam Smith made an economic model for his theory involving the economic market through his books. Adam Smith produced his own book titled “The Theory of Moral Sentiments” which revolved around morals of humans and mercy toward a person or a community. On the other hand, the book did have a slight vision of the rejection of loving yourself and the slim idea what an individual wants for his or her self. Adam Smith also produced another book titled “An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations” that was based on the concept of the politics of economy. This book also gave the idea that wealth’s amount is determined by the amount of work not by length. Adam Smith’s book eventually g...
...h political and financial equality, forming the foundation for everlasting peace. This ideal society would be ruled by a government that truly represents the people and endeavors to direct its citizens on the route to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As Sir Francis Bacon said, "Man seeketh in society comfort, use, and protection."
...equality. While it is a nice notion that there should be a society free of jealousy, war, and inequality, it is not accomplished by a government imposing laws which regulates its citizens’ success (even if that law if from the people). This type of social structure, where everyone is treated equally discourages work because minimal effort will reap the same results. Rather, the ideal government is a limited one; one where commerce and capitalism is encouraged.
Smith, A. (1991). The Wealth of Nations. In A. Smith, The Wealth of Nations. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books.
In the Humanistic Tradition the author, Gloria Fiero introduces Adam smith as a Scottish moral philosopher, pioneer of political economy, and a key figure in the Scottish Enlightenment. Smith also known as the Father of Political economy, is best known for one of his two classic works An Inquiry into the nature and causes of the Wealth of Nations. Fiero looks at Smith’s work because the division of labor is important. One thing Smith thinks is even more important for creating a wealthy nation, is to interact and have open trade with different countries. Fiero states,“It is necessary, though very slow and gradual, consequence of a certain propensity in human nature which has in view no such extensive utility; the propensity to truck, barter,
"Adam Smith." Adam Smith. Library of Economics and Liberty, 2008. Web. 4 Feb. 2011. .
Smith, Adam. "CHAPTER XI OF THE RENT OF LAND." An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. Oxford: Clarendon, 1976. 161. Print.
Smith believed that the unexpected result when people pursue economic gain is to promote public interest. Smith wrote document C, “The Wealth Of Nations”. In this Smith writes, “As every individual, endeavours as much as he can both to employ his capital.” Smith believes this would be a better economic system. People get wealthy making the whole country wealthy. He believed in self reliance.
endorsed in the Wealth of Nations that epoch-making publication remains as perhaps the most famous economics book of all time. Governments in search of a strengthening of their states through economic policy, and many individuals in search of personal gain, have all drawn lessons from its pages. Powerful movements that led to the emergence of Modern Capitalism were substantially based on Smith's work and hence he deserves to be
Although Smith’s two books were written years apart, they have multiple connections between the two. The assumptions and claims he makes about man in the Theory of Moral Sentiments seem to hold true in the Wealth of Nations. It almost appears that the Wealth of Nation’s is what a society of prudent men would be like from a political and societal stance. It seems that Smith carries over his understanding of self-interested benevolence from Theory of Moral Sentiments to the Wealth of Nations.
Although this view has undergone considerable modification by economists in the light of historical developments since Smith’s time, many sections of The Wealth of Nations notably those relating to the sources of income and the nature of capital, have continued to form the basis of theoretical study of the field of political economy. The Wealth of Nations has also served as a guide to the formulation of governmental economic policies.
Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations - The Natural Order is Driven by Man’s Self-interest