ABSTRACT
As in other European countries, the printing press played a central role in the spread in Spain of the new ideas of the Enlightenment. Political economy indeed was an intrinsic part of this entire process of diffusion. The coming of The Wealth of Nations (WN) to Spain occurred during the so-called “Golden Age” of the Spanish printing press, between 1780 and 1808, when a substantial number of high-quality periodicals were founded. This chapter gives an account of the active role played by some journals during this period as instrumental in spreading the WN. The analysis develops at three levels: book reviews; writings or journal articles that show Smith’s influence; and the use of the WN in the economic controversies at the time. The analysis concludes by pointing out how Spanish journalists made a political interpretation of the WN as they underlined its usefulness for dealing with economic challenges at the time.
