Question 1

True or false: Adam Smith was a close friend and intellectual rival of the philosopher David Hume.

Accepted Answer

True. Smith and Hume were lifelong friends, exchanging ideas and supporting each other’s work, despite some philosophical disagreements.

Question 2

True or false: Smith's 'invisible hand' metaphor originally appeared in his book 'The Wealth of Nations'.

Accepted Answer

False. The 'invisible hand' first appeared in Smith's earlier work 'The Theory of Moral Sentiments', not 'Wealth of Nations'.

Question 3

True or false: Adam Smith never married and lived with his mother for most of his adult life.

Accepted Answer

True. Adam Smith was a lifelong bachelor and resided with his mother for much of his life until her death in 1784, when he was 61.

Question 4

True or false: Smith argued that selfishness alone drives all economic activity in a market economy.

Accepted Answer

False. Smith emphasized sympathy and moral sentiments as equally important; he saw self-interest balanced by benevolence and justice.

Question 5

True or false: Smith believed the government should never intervene in any aspect of the economy.

Accepted Answer

False. Smith supported government roles in defense, justice, public works, and education—he wasn't a pure laissez-faire absolutist.

Question 6

True or false: Smith was briefly kidnapped by Romani people as a young child but was quickly rescued by his uncle.

Accepted Answer

True. At age 4, Adam Smith was abducted by Romani people and quickly rescued by his uncle.

Question 7

True or false: Smith's 'Wealth of Nations' was an instant bestseller, making him wealthy overnight.

Accepted Answer

False. The book sold slowly at first, and Smith earned modest royalties; his financial security came from a pension, not book sales.

Question 8

True or false: Adam Smith worked as a customs commissioner in Scotland, enforcing trade laws he criticized.

Accepted Answer

True. Smith served as a Scottish customs commissioner for 12 years, overseeing duties and smuggling laws, despite his free-trade advocacy.

Adam Smith Trivia Questions