Rethinking Burke and Smith: political economy and foundations of industry.

The traditional interpretation of Burke's political economy emphasised his defense of free trade, and his intellectual relationship with Smith has also been the centre of scholarly attention. This article attempts a systematic comparison between Burke and Smith and shows in detail how Burke's concern with political stability, a great source of his economic thinking, helped distinguish his political economy from that of Smith's. Burke was especially concerned with the link between the conservation of manners and social development. The differences between Burke and Smith suggest their economic thought could be read in distinct contexts of Enlightenment thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]