The Wisdom of Adam Smith

5. Conduct and Morality

JSmith_001-050.indd 39 11/28/11 9:52 AM 5 Conduct and Morality In every civilised society, in every society where the distinction of ranks has once been completely established , there have been always two different schemes or systems of morality current at the same time; of which the one may be called the strict or austere; the other the liberal, or, if you will, the loose system. The former is generally admired and revered by the common people: the latter is commonly more esteemed and adopted by what are called people of fashion. The degree of disapprobation with which we ought to mark the vices of levity , the vices which are apt to arise from great prosperity, and from the excess of gaiety and good humour, seems to constitute the principal distinction between those two opposite schemes or systems. In the liberal or loose system, luxury, wanton and even disorderly mirth, the pursuit of pleasure to some degree of intemperance, the breach of JSmith_001-050.indd 40 11/28/11 9:52 AM 40• The Wisdom of Adam Smith chastity, at least in one of the two sexes, etc., provided that they are not accompanied with gross indecency, and do not lead to falsehood or injustice, are generally treated with a good deal of indulgence, and are easily either excused or pardoned altogether. In the austere system, on the contrary, those excesses are regarded with the utmost abhorrence and detestation. The vices of levity are always ruinous to the common people, and a single week's thoughtlessness and dissipation is often sufficient to undo a poor workman for ever, and to drive him through despair upon committing the most enormous crimes The wiser and better sort of the common people, therefore, have always the utmost abhorrence and detestation of such excesses, which their experience tells them are so immediately fatal to people of their condition. The disorder and extravagance of several years, on the contrary, will not always ruin a man of fashion, and people of that rank are very apt to consider the power of indulging in some degree of excess as one of the advantages of their fortune, and the liberty of doing so without censure or reproach as one of the privileges which belong to their station. In people of their own station, therefore, they regard such excesses with but a small degree of disapprobation , and censure them either very slightly or not at all. WN794 The general maxims of morality are formed, like all other general maxims, from experience and induction. We observe, in a great variety of particular cases, what JSmith_001-050.indd 41 11/28/11 9:52 AM Conduct and Morality • 41 pleases or displeases our moral faculties, what these approve or disapprove of; and by induction from this experience we establish those general rules. MS 319 In the courts of princes, in the drawing-rooms of the great, where success and preferment depend, not upon the esteem of intelligent and well-informed equals, but upon the fanciful and foolish favour of ignorant, presumptuous , and proud superiors; flattery and falsehood too often prevail over merit and abilities. MS63 This disposition to admire, and almost to worship, the rich and the powerful, and to despise or, at least, to neglect , persons of poor and mean condition, though necessary both to establish and to maintain the distinction of ranks and the order of society, is, at the same time, the great and most universal cause of the corruption of our moral sentiments. That wealth and greatness are often regarded with the respect and admiration which are due only to wisdom and virtue; and that the contempt, of which vice and folly are the only proper objects, is often most unjustly bestowed upon poverty and weakness, has been the complaint of moralists in all ages. MS 61-62 To deserve, to acquire, and to enjoy, the respect and admiration of mankind, are the great objects of ambition JSmith_001-050.indd 42 11/28/11 9:52 AM 42. The Wisdom ofAdam Smith and emulation. Two different roads are presented to us, equally leading to the attainment of this so much desired object; the one, by the study of wisdom and the practice of virtue; the other, by the acquisition of wealth and greatness. Two different characters are presented to our emulation; the one of proud ambition and ostentatious avidity; the other, of...