Question

How did Adam Smith and Robert Owen differ in their view of human nature?

Answer 1

Adam Smith was born in Scotland in 1723. He was a well-known philosopher and economist. He is known as the father of capitalism.

Smith wrote two famous and classic works. One called "The Theory of Moral Sentiments" and the other "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations," which was later shortened to " Wealth of Nations."

He believed that humans were selfish in nature.In addition, humans were all the time seeking profit for their own interests. Although Smith believed this was beneficial to the market because it fostered commercial exchange.

On the other hand, Robert Owen was born in 1771 in Wales. He was a textile manufacturer and a social reformer. He is famous for founding the Cooperative Movement and Utopian Socialism.

Owen thought that humans´ character was determined by the context in which that person is immersed. That is to say, the circumstances imposed on that person, which are not subject to change, will define who he is. That is why he explained, it was important to surround a person with the right environmental conditions.  

Answer 2

Smith had not been one to let religious attitude restrict his thinking. He believed that more wealth to common people would benefit a nation's economy and society as a whole. In The Wealth of Nations, Smith described a self-regulating market.