The essays in this collection examine the fundamental issues related to the rise of political economy in eighteenth-century Scotland against the backdrop of the Scottish Enlightenment. The book demonstrates the importance of the rise and progress of economic discourse as an integral foundation of the social sciences of the Scottish Enlightenment and considers figures such as David Hume, Adam Smith, Robert Wallace and Dugald Stewert.

This collection of essays provides a comprehensive view of the economic thought of the Scottish Enlightenment. Organized as a chronological account of the rise and progress of political economy in eighteenth century Scotland, each chapter discusses the way in which the moral and economic improvement of the Scottish nation became a common concern.

Contributors not only explore the economic discourses of David Hume, James Steuart and Adam Smith but also consider the neglected economic writings of Andrew Fletcher, Robert Wallace, Francis Hutcheson, William Robertson, John Millar and Dugald Stewart. This book addresses the question of how these economic writings interacted with the moral, political and historical arguments of the time and shows how contemporary issues related to the union with England, natural jurisprudence, classical republicanism and manners and civilization all contained an economic dimension. Key chapters include:

• The ancient modern controversy in the Scottish Enlightenment
• The 'Scottish Triangle' in the shaping of political economy: David Hume, Sir James Steuart and Adam Smith
• Civilization and history in Lord Kames and William Robertson
• Adam Smith in Japan

This view of the origin of economic science in Britain is markedly different from traditional accounts and will be of interest to economic, political and social historians.

This book brings together a significant body of work by Tatsuya Sakamoto, a leading Japanese scholar of the history of social and economic thought, showcasing his major contributions to the study of David Hume, Adam Smith, and the Scottish Enlightenment. One of Sakamoto's persistent interests is in both philosophy and economics, which is of much importance for Hume scholars. Many "Humeans" has been interested in Hume's economic thought, although the latter has often been discussed separately from his philosophy. Sakamoto has attempted to grasp Hume's social philosophy under the concept of "Hume's philosophical economics" or his "system of manners". Sakamoto has also contributed to Hume's biographical research, such as the dating of Hume's manuscript and the discovery of an additional proof of his anonymous review of Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments. Sakamoto's extensive knowledge and interest covers Adam Smith as well as Francis Hutcheson, with special focus on the genesis of economics and the development of moral theory in the Scottish Enlightenment. Also, Sakamoto has exhibited his lifelong interest in the intersection between the West and the East in modern intellectual history and the final section of the book explores how Smith's ideas have influenced Japanese intellectuals since the early Meiji period. This book will be of great interest to scholars and students of the history of economic thought, Hume studies, and intellectual history more broadly.