
Is Everyone Getting Adam Smith Wrong? - ft. Glory Liu
From Capitalisn't by University of Chicago Podcast Network
March 26, 2026 · 31 min · Season 2 · Episode 157
About this episode
Georgetown assistant professor Glory Liu discusses the misconceptions surrounding Adam Smith's views on monopolies and power.
Most people associate Adam Smith with free markets and “the invisible hand”. But does this conventional narrative purposefully ignore Smith’s deep suspicions about monopolies and power? Georgetown assistant professor Glory Liu argues this narrow interpretation is actually a deliberate historical reconstruction.
People in this episode
Guest: Glory Liu
Topics covered
- Adam Smith
- free markets
- monopolies
- historical interpretation
- power dynamics
Keywords
- Adam Smith
- free markets
- monopolies
- historical reconstruction
- Georgetown
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Adam Smith
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