Wealth of Nations 250: The Long Arc of Smithian Economics

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM EST
Merten Hall, 1204

The George Mason Department of Economics invites the university community to join us for Wealth of Nations 250: The Long Arc of Smithian Economics.

Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations, published in March of 1776, gave birth to the economic way of thinking. On Wednesday, February 18, 2026, four distinguished speakers, all world-recognized experts on Smithian thought, will explain how Adam Smith’s most famous book continues to offer tools for thinking clearly about human flourishing while also motivating new economic research.

Our speakers:

Donald Boudreaux is Professor of Economics at George Mason University and a leader of the department’s Adam Smith Program. He is author of The Triumph of Economic Freedom (with former Senator Phil Gramm) and Globalization.

Peter J. Boettke is Distinguished University Professor of Economics at George Mason University. He is the author of Living Economics, The Struggle for a Better World, and “Why Read Adam Smith Today?” He was the 2010 recipient of the Private Enterprise Association’s Adam Smith Award.

Mark Koyama is Professor of Economics at George Mason University and author (with Jared Rubin) of How the World Became Rich, a modern inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nations.

Daniel Klein is Professor of Economics and JIN Chair at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, where he leads a program in Adam Smith. He is the author of Smithian Morals, Central Notions of Smithian Liberalism, The Spirit of Smithian Laws, and Smithian Essays.

Please join us after the event for the reception that will follow.

Date:  Wednesday, February 18, 2026

Presentation:  5:00 - 6:30 pm

Reception:  6:30 - 7:30 pm 

For more information:  Contact Garett Jones at gjonesb@gmu.edu.