3. Counting the Fingers of Adam Smiths Invisible Hand

Capitalism: Success, Crisis and Reform (PLSC 270) Professor Rae introduces Adam Smith’s notion of the “invisible hand“ of the market. Several preconditions must be met for the invisible hand to work. Markets must be open, and there cannot be just one buyer or one seller who can control product prices. No producer can hold a pivotal private technology, and there must be more or less truthful information across the whole market. Governments must enforce property and contracts. However, many of these preco