Adam Smith's masterpiece, first published in 1776, is the foundation of modern economic thought a nd remains the single most impo r tant account of the rise of, a nd the principles behind, modern capitalism. Written in clear a nd incisive prose, The Wealth of Nations articulates the concepts indispensable to an understa nding of contempo r ary society, a nd Robert Reich's new Introduction fo r this edition both clarifies Smith's analyses a nd illuminates his overall relevance to the wo r ld in which we live. As Reich writes, ",Smith's mind ranged over issues as fresh a nd topical today as they were in the late eighteenth century--jobs, wages, politics, government, trade, education, business, a nd ethics.",