Regarding Communism, Smith does not outline a formal doctrine on the subject in The Mother Country (published in 1849). However, his stance can be understood through his broader economic philosophy and the historical context of the time: [1, 2]
• Gradualism vs. Revolution: The Mother Country was published just one year after Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels released The Communist Manifesto (1848). While Marx advocated for the revolutionary overthrow of capitalism and the abolition of private property, Smith was a reformist public intellectual. He advocated for systematic changes within the British capitalist framework to prevent radical upheaval. [1] • Peasant Proprietorship: Rather than advocating for the collective or state ownership of land (a core tenant of communism), Smith strongly championed peasant proprietorship—the idea that working-class individuals should be given the opportunity to own and farm their own small plots of private land. [1] • Capitalist Reforms: His solutions centered on free trade, agricultural productivity, and the abolition of outdated aristocratic privileges like primogeniture. His goal was to make private property and capital more accessible to the poor, rather than abolishing private enterprise. [1]
In short, Smith viewed widespread poverty as a systemic failure that required urgent government action and land reform, but his philosophy aligned with radical liberalism and market reform rather than Communism. [1]