The Emergence of Modern Society in the Political-Economic Theory of Adam Smith

Analizirajući političko-ekonomsku teoriju Adama Smitha, u ovom radu posebno se istražuje Smithovo razumijevanje nastanka modernog društva. Istražujući pritom svojevrsnu prazninu u hrvatskoj akademskoj literaturi na tu temu, u radu se nastoji prikazati Smithov uzročno-posljedični mehanizam koji je doveo do propasti feudalizma i stvaranja modernog trgovinskog društva kao iznimke u europskoj povijesti. Temeljeći se na interpretativnoj analizi Smithovih djela, a posebice Bogatstva naroda, u radu se najprije razmatraju osnovne odrednice Smithovog pristupa istraživanju povijesti, pri čemu se posebno istražuje Smithovu faznu teoriju povijesti. Nakon toga, prikazuje se Smithovo poimanje antičkih poredaka, prvenstveno Atene i Rima, kao prvih trgovinskih društava u europskoj povijesti. Dodatno, u tom dijelu istražuju se i razlozi propasti antičkih trgovačkih društava, prema Smithovom shvaćanju. Zatim se, u središnjem dijelu rada, detaljno prati niz uzroka, iznesenih u trećoj knjizi Bogatstva naroda, koji su doveli do raspada feudalnog društva i nastanka modernog trgovinskog društva. Rad se potom okreće ka konstitutivnim principima i mehanizmima koji su omogućili nastanak modernog društva. Posljednje, rad razmatra ulogu suverena, odnosno države, u stvaranju i funkcioniranju trgovinskog društva rane moderne. Interpretativna analiza pritom ukazuje na važnu ulogu moderne države u Smithovoj teoriji, gdje se država nameće kao jamac zaštite konstitutivnih principa koji omogućuju funkcioniranje modernog društva.By analyzing the political-economic theory of Adam Smith, this paper particularly investigates Smith's understanding of the emergence of modern society. In doing so, the paper explores a certain void in Croatian academic literature on this topic, and aims to present Smith's cause-and-effect mechanism that led to the collapse of feudalism and the creation of modern commercial society as an exception in European history. Based on an interpretative analysis of Smith's works, especially The Wealth of Nations, the paper first considers the basic determinants of Smith's approach to historical research, with a particular focus on Smith's stadial theory of history. After that, the paper presents Smith's perception of ancient orders, namely Athens and Rome, as the first commercial societies in European history. Additionally, in this part, the reasons for the collapse of ancient commercial societies, according to Smith's understanding, are explored. Then, in the central part of the paper, a series of causes outlined in the third book of The Wealth of Nations, which led to the disintegration of feudal society and the emergence of a modern commercial society, are followed in detail. The paper then turns to the constitutive principles and mechanisms that enabled the emergence of modern society. Lastly, the paper considers the role of the sovereign, or the state, in the creation and functioning of the early modern commercial society. The interpretative analysis points to the important role of the modern state in Smith's theory, where the state emerges as a guarantor of the protection of constitutive principles that enable the functioning of modern society