Adam Smith and the Colonial Scheme or the future of an illusion.
Daniel DIATKINE
Université d'Evry-Val d'Essonne

Abstract: As all important books do, the Wealth of Nations is written to fight againt an adversary. Adam Smith's adversary is clearly the Mercantile System. However Smith builds a theory of his adversary. The Mercantile System, the Colonial System and the Sovereign Companies are the effects of merchants's partiality and rethorics (I). Consequently, the Mercantile System is also the effect of the Love of Systems, whose importance is emphasised in the Theory of Moral Sentiments (II). So the Mercantile System is in a sense necessary.