Adam Smith-The Theory of moral feelings. Gift book bound in leather

Smith is convinced that the "wealth of nations" is created by those people who not only succeed in practical activities, but are also endowed with "high virtues".

The author claims that the reason for people's striving for wealth, the reason for ambition is not that people are trying to achieve material well-being in this way, but in order to distinguish themselves, draw attention to themselves, cause approval, praise, sympathy or get the conclusions accompanying them. The main goal of a person, according to Smith, is vanity, and not welfare or pleasure. Wealth puts a person in the foreground, turning him into the center of everyone's attention. Poverty means obscurity and oblivion. People empathize with the joys of sovereigns and the rich, believing that their life is the most perfect happiness. The existence of such people is a necessity, since they are the embodiment of the ideals of ordinary people. From here comes empathy and empathy for all their joys and worries.