Political Ethics In Adam Smith

Adam Smith was the most famous economist and philosopher in the eighteenth century in Britain and the founder of classic bourgeois political economy. The formation of Adam Smith’s thoughts based on the specific social pattern of Britain. Because of the development of textile industry and handicraft workshop, business as well, the middle-and lower-class humanity was out of the attachment of traditional agriculture. More and more people was changed ideology and life style by the new economic form. As a representative of enlightenment thought in Britain, Smith reflected on the new economic form profoundly. In order to make the lower class throw away feudalism and get more economic benefit, he tried himself to build an ideal political and economic systems, which is different from feudalism.In the past, in academia, people are more concerned ahout Smith’s economic thought and economic ethics thought, but his political ethics thought lack of hunting, possibly due to Smith’s economic thought and economic ethics thought is too prominent in the whole system of thought, which covers the theory of the political ethics that should be bright. Therefore, this article will to sort out Smith’s political ethics idea through a detailed interpretation of the text, from the relationship between politics and ethics of Smith’s thought and in political activities personal discussion of ethics in perspective. Political ethics idea not only contributes to completely understand the ideology of Smith, and has important reference significance to China’s political ethics construction in the transition period. In addition, we compare to Marx’s thought to highlight the unique brilliance of Marx’s political ethics thought. Specific content setting is as follows:Part one, The foundation of political ethics:analysis of moral psychology. Essentially as the basis of ethical and moral psychology, including Smith’s evaluation standard of constructing the system of moral philosophy--moral sympathy, with "compassion" about the impartial spectator and the final arbiter--"conscience" and its role in political ethic order construction In addition, Smith through the analysis of various qualities of virtue brought happiness to people to confirm that "justice" is everyone’s respect for the rights of others should have a minimum level of virtues, is the basis for maintaining social stability and security, and "self-control" is the basis of all the virtues of play, because its itself is the virtue of the most.Part two, The pillars of the political ethics:the system of natural liberty. Focus on covering many aspects of the political system, including individual rights (natural rights, property rights and the ownership of labor), principles and nature of State power, political formation, the monarch and the people’s rights and freedom and equitable political system, and finally extended to the ethical relationship between countries. It is through this series of exploration, Smith built a personal power to the State system, and harmony to the world of a free political system.Part three, The core of the political ethics:the realization of justice and wealthy. Through to Smith’s thought of study, we will find that Smith’s ultimate goal is to achieve national prosperity, and this is exactly what Smith’s value of political ethics is the most critical intent. Personal and national wealth accumulation through the business community, and the business community is implemented by the division of labor and free competition. Secondly, the landlord class、the working class and the employer class form the three main social political, tripartite relationship forming between the socio-political and economic life in the main chain, which maintain the social progress. As for the equal allocation problem, Smith sees social inequality, but unfortunately he has not been able to analyze the true source of the imbalance of wealth. In addition, he also studied public benefits (mainly includes public education and religious groups), attempting to build a free、prosperous and tolerant civilization business community.Part four, The value of political ethics:evaluation of the efficacy of thought. Focus on from comparison of Smith and Marx’s political ethics, as well as practical significance both to China’s political ethics construction to be judged, especially the latter, is the practice direction that our modern re-acquaintance of Smith’s history of political ethics.