ABSTRACT
Smith shared much of Rousseau’s view on the motivational forces in commercial society but, starting out in line with Hume’s position, he denied their increasingly destructive role. In later work, however, Smith was to extend, revise and qualify his position. Evidenced by the evolution of Smith’s thought, he kept struggling with Rousseau’s criticisms. Although he never shared Rousseau’s condemnation of commercial society, Smith became less positive than Hume had been. This changing stance on commercial society explains the variety of characterisations of Smith’s attitude to Rousseau’s views, ranging from dismissive and ambivalent to sympathetic.
