Adam Smith

About Adam Smith

Adam Smith, a Scottish economist and philosopher, holds significant historical weight, ranking #43 on MIT's Pantheon index due to his foundational contributions to modern economic thought. His 1776 magnum opus, The Wealth of Nations, is credited with articulating the principles of free markets, division of labor, and the concept of the 'invisible hand,' establishing him as the father of modern economics and political economy. His ideas profoundly shaped the trajectory of industrial capitalism across centuries.

In the digital age of 2025, Smith garnered 875K annualized Wikipedia pageviews. This figure suggests an attention gap, though relatively small, as his attention level is roughly 1x his historical importance. However, a direct comparison highlights a contrast within his own field: Karl Marx, ranked slightly lower at #53 in importance, commands over 2.6 million views-more than triple Smith’s traffic. Furthermore, figures with far less enduring historical impact, such as Muammar Gaddafi (#373 importance), attracted over 3.1 million views.

Smith’s online interest appears to be softening, indicated by an 8.7% year-over-year decline in pageviews and a sharp -13% momentum drop comparing Q1 to Q3 of 2025. While he remains a high-ranking figure, this trend suggests that the historical depth underpinning his influence is not fully translating into sustained contemporary digital engagement.