The Real Adam Smith, Pt. 2: Ideas That Changed the World
Free To Choose Network is a nonprofit media group with a global reach and a passion for big ideas. The network originally launched with Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman’s groundbreaking 1980 television series “Free to Choose,” and still believes that people—and societies—flourish when free to shape their own lives, pursue personal goals, and make choices that reflect their values. Through smart, accessible storytelling, their programs spark conversations about freedom, responsibility, and what it means to live well.
Overview
What can a man with a plain name who lived over 200 years ago tell us about life today? Who was the REAL Adam Smith? And why should we care? In this two-hour, two-part documentary, Swedish author, commentator, and Cato Senior Fellow Johan Norberg explores Adam Smith’s life, his ideas about morality and economics, and how the concepts he discussed in his books and lectures are still relevant today.
Ideas That Changed the World
Part two explores contemporary life and Adam Smith’s influences on the very things we see happening today. Why is Smith widely studied now in China? Ethical businesses, like Whole Foods, showcase the morality Smith insisted was critical to thriving markets. Uber and eBay demonstrate that markets can thrive through the organization and “self-policing” of the participants themselves.