We probably won’t surprise anyone by choosing Adam Smith—often called the father of modern economics—as our favourite historical figure. But there’s more to him than you might think.

Some of his ideas have become points of debate in contemporary circles, especially his association with neoclassical economic interpretations. But, it’s important to remember that in his own time, Smith was seen as radically progressive.

Born in 1723 in Kirkcaldy, Scotland, Smith went on to study at the University of Glasgow and later at Oxford. He was a philosopher as much as an economist, and his work bridges ethics, politics, and markets in a way that still resonates today. His most famous book, The Wealth of Nations (1776), laid the groundwork for classical economics and introduced key concepts like the division of labour, free markets, and the ‘invisible hand’.

What’s often overlooked is how nuanced his thinking truly was. Smith was deeply concerned with morality, justice, and the well-being of society. His earlier work, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, reveals a man concerned with empathy and social cohesion just as much as with efficiency or wealth.

A fascinating personal detail: Adam Smith was close friends with David Hume, another intellectual giant of the Scottish Enlightenment. The thought of sitting in on one of their conversations—two brilliant minds discussing philosophy, politics, and society over dinner in 18th-century Edinburgh—is honestly thrilling.

In a world that often oversimplifies his legacy, we find it refreshing to return to the depth and humanity in Smith’s original writings. He wasn’t just an economist; he was a thinker deeply engaged with the moral fabric of his time.