In The Wealth of Nations, Book II: Of the Nature, Accumulation, and Employment of Stock, Adam Smith pulls back the curtain on the lifeblood of every economy: capital. He reveals how savings, investment, and the wise use of stock fuel prosperity, while waste and extravagance drain it. Through clear distinctions between fixed and circulating capital, productive and unproductive labor, and the different employments of stock—from agriculture and industry to trade and foreign commerce—Smith builds a vision of how nations either thrive or stagnate. This book is not a dry theory; it is a story of choices—how merchants, farmers, landlords, and governments decide to use wealth, and how those decisions ripple through entire societies. By understanding Smith's insights, readers can see the hidden engines of growth, the dangers of reckless credit, and why some investments enrich nations while others impoverish them. For anyone who wants to grasp the roots of economic power, this book is a masterclass in the timeless laws of prosperity.

Adam Smith (1723–1790) was a Scottish economist, philosopher, and key figure of the Scottish Enlightenment, widely regarded as the "Father of Economics" and "Father of Capitalism." Educated at the University of Glasgow and Balliol College, Oxford, he became a professor of moral philosophy before publishing his groundbreaking works. His first major book, The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759), explored human ethics, sympathy, and social behavior, while his most influential work, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776), laid the foundations of modern economic thought by introducing concepts such as the division of labor, free markets, and the "invisible hand." Smith's ideas profoundly shaped economic policy and philosophy, making him one of the most influential thinkers in history.