Abstract

PARDO BELTRAN, Edgar. POVERTY IN SMITH AND RICARDO. Rev.econ.inst. [online]. 2000, vol.2, n.2, pp.111-130. ISSN 0124-5996.

This paper provides a comparison between Adam Smith and David Ricardo’s treatments of poverty in a capitalist society. The comparison focus on the different arguments they use to relate poverty to inequality and institutional realities. The discussion points out the life experiences of each author and their intellectual interests, taking into account that poverty was one of the most pressing social problems faced by England between the 18th and 19th century. Smith associates poverty with the stability of social order; while Ricardo postulates that poverty is a function of the distributive struggle and the forces of population growth.

Keywords : poverty; history of economic thought; Smith; Ricardo; economic theory.

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