Economist and Revolutionary: Adam Smith and 1776.' with Samuel Gregg
Thu, Oct 08
|Marston Theater
ASU School of Civic and Economic Thought (SCETL) Free event: Register https://specialevents.asu.edu/ereg/newreg.php?eventid=890773&
Time & Location
Oct 08, 2026, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Marston Theater, ISTB-4, 781 S Terrace Rd, Tempe, AZ 85281
About the event
“Economist and Revolutionary: Adam Smith and 1776.” with Samuel Gregg
Date: Thursday, October 8, 2026
Time: 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Location: Marston Theater, ISTB-4, 781 S Terrace Rd, Tempe, AZ 85281
2026 marks the 250th anniversary of two momentous historical events: the publication of Adam Smith’s Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, on March 9, 1776, and, four months later, the proclamation of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. This lecture outlines and reflects upon Adam Smith’s analysis of the economic factors contributing to the conflict and his thoughts on how the crisis might be settled. It demonstrates that Smith was prepared to contemplate solutions that had revolutionary implications for America — and, for that matter, Britain. It concludes by delineating the lessons that Smith’s engagement with these matters offers us today.