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I don't recall seeing an entirely satisfying discussion of why Smith called his book An
Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (note the full title;
hereafter WN). I would be interested to learn what others on the list have to say.
 
Let me make a few quick notes: 
 
1) Unlike The Theory of Moral Sentiments, Smith chose to begin the title of WN with an
indefinite article. Perhaps he thought that his book would not and could
not be the last word on the topic? (I argue in my dissertation that Smith not only
understood his work, in part, as an attempt to design a set of research questions, but
also that he thought that by its very nature the study of political economy was open-
ended.)
 
2) "An inquiry into the *nature and causes*" is a very Aristotelian phrase. I suspect
Smith wants to emphasize that he does not want to create a merely instrumentalist science
(of the sort that one can find discussed in Berkeley and Hume) and also that he will not
be constrained by a too simplistic account of efficient causes as can be found in
Mechanical philosophers/Physiocrats (note the plural in "causes").
 
3) One of the most important issues in WN is to re-define what should be understood by
wealth; how it can be measured; how it can be acquired; what institutions and policies are
conducive to this, etc.
 
4) Finally, "nations" clearly hints that Smith's scope goes beyond Scotland or even Great
Britain.  A more ironic point is, perhaps, the one that Malthus first made: that Smith is
very concerned with the wealth of particular classes, especially the working-poor, within
nations.
 
I hope this helps.  I have more thoughts on each point and you can feel free to contact me
off-list.
 
Eric Schliesser 
University of Chicago 
 
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