Adam Smith (1723-1790) - Scottish economist, philosopher and one of the founders of modern economics. Author of "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations" - the foundations of classical political economy. Adam Smith's "Theory of Moral Sentiments" ranks in importance with Benedict Spinoza's "Ethics" and Immanuel Kant's "Critique of Practical Reason". Adam Smith argues that the reason people's aspirations for wealth, the reason for ambition is not the need to achieve material well-being, but mainly the desire to distinguish oneself, to attract attention, to arouse approval, praise, sympathy, or to receive the benefits that accompany them. According to Smith, the main goal of a person is the satisfaction of vanity, and not well-being or pleasure. Wealth brings a person to the forefront, turning him into the center of everyone's attention. Poverty means obscurity and oblivion.