Adam Smith wrote The Wealth of Nations. He worried about the ways that wealth and an emphasis on material goods can corrupt people's moral sentiments. This is Freakonomics Radio, the podcast that explores the hidden side of everything with your host Steven Dubner.
How did an affable 18th-century “moral philosopher” become the patron saint of cutthroat capitalism? Does “the invisible hand” mean what everyone thinks it does? We travel to Smith’s hometown in Scotland to uncover the man behind the myth. (Part 1 of a series.)