The two-hundredth anniversary in 1976 of the publication of An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations emphasized the already evident new interest in the relationship between Smith's social and political thought and his economic theory. Only recently have economists turned their attention to Smith's other works, long overshadowed by the more renowned The Wealth of Nations. Martha Lightwood here argues that A Theory of Moral Sentiments actually laid the philosophic groundwork for The Wealth of Nations and emphasizes that Smith's writings, considered in their totality, represent a compelling interest not solely in economics but in philosophy and the study of society.

Selected for this bibliography are major contributions and representative studies on three aspects of Smith's work: moral philosophy, the history of the development of scientific methodology, and political economy.