Los principios éticos en la génesis de la economía política

There is a new and specific form of conflict betweenmeritocracy and the notion of equality. The origin ofthis conflict could be found in the transition from oldcommunities towards modern society, shaped by theimperative to work, by the social esteem work receivesin detriment of leisure, and by the high praise that productionand mercantile activities enjoy nowadays.This work is focused on the nature of this conflict-which certainly belongs to the ethics world- from theperspective of the father of modern political economy,Adam Smith.The corollary would be to understand thedirection public policy should adopt and the contemporarydebate about justice.