Clarifies the character and fundamental structures of 'political economy' as an intellectual discipline in the texts of Adam Smith. This title is suitable for historians of economic thought and philosophers of social science.

Examines the origin and early development of the classical theory of distribution up to 1767, stressing the concept of economic `surplus' as a key determinant of economic phenomena.

First published in 1995. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.