I find Christopher J. Berry's (1997) The Social Theory of the Scottish Enlightenment (Columbia University Press) very useful in approaching the Scottish, intellectual context of Adam Smith. Eric Schliesser "Dr Chris R. Tame" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:----------------- HES POSTING ----------------- Michael Perelman wrote: >To what extent was the Wealth of Nation written as a blueprint for Scotland >rather than England? > I'm not sure he meant it as a "blueprint" for anywhere. On Smith in relation to Scotland and Scottish though in general, you might find the following worth a look: Fay, C[harles]. R. Adam Smith and the Scotland of His Day, Publications of the Department of Social and Economic Research No. 3, Cambridge University Press, 1956 Macfie, A[lec]. L. (1955), "The Scottish Tradition in Economic Thought", Scottish Journal of Political Economy, II, pp. 81-103; reprinted in Idem, The Individual in Society: Papers on Adam Smith, University of Glasgow Social and Economic Studies, ns. No. 11, George Allen & Unwin, London, 1967, pp. 19-41 There is, of course, now a huge literature on the Scottish Enlightenment in general, and the relation of Smith's thought to the broader Scottish thought of his time. Chris R. Tame ----------------- FOOTER TO HES POSTING ----------------- [log in to unmask] http://eh.net/mailman/listinfo/hes "In general, there is a degree of doubt, and caution, and modesty, which, in all kinds of scrutiny and decision, ought for ever to accompany a just reasoner."--David Hume, EHU 12.3.24 Assistant Professor, Philosophy Department, Syracuse University, 541 Hall of Languages, Syracuse, NY, 13244-1170. Office phone: (315) 443-5816; Fax: (315) 443-5675; Mobile phone: 315-663-4308 philosophy.syr.edu/Schliesser.html; nesciocinema.blogspot.com Research Associate, Amsterdam Research Group in History and Methodology of Economics, Department of Economics, University of Amsterdam. >From October 2005: VENI Research Fellow, Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, Philosophy, Leiden University.