Liberal rationality in The Fable of the Bees. A comparison with Adam Smith and Wenceslao Fernández Flórez

Mandeville, Smith and Fernández Flórez approached economic and social problems defending liberty and at the same time acknowledging the existence of conflicts and contradictions that demand ethics, politics and law. Their liberal rationality is not Panglossianly optimistic, neither is it cynic, and...

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Main Authors: Carlos Rodríguez Braun, Fernando Méndez Ibisate
Format: Article
Language:Spanish
Published: Universidad Complutense de Madrid 2025-06-01
Series:Iberian Journal of the History of Economic Thought
Subjects:
Online Access:https://revistas.ucm.es/index.php/IJHE/article/view/102386
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author Carlos Rodríguez Braun
Fernando Méndez Ibisate
author_facet Carlos Rodríguez Braun
Fernando Méndez Ibisate
author_sort Carlos Rodríguez Braun
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description Mandeville, Smith and Fernández Flórez approached economic and social problems defending liberty and at the same time acknowledging the existence of conflicts and contradictions that demand ethics, politics and law. Their liberal rationality is not Panglossianly optimistic, neither is it cynic, and their individualism not only does not exclude society but builds upon it. They admitted the complexity of human nature and society as they really are, and recognized that we would not progress economically suppressing the market, just as we would not do so morally in a fantastic universe without sins. The three stressed that institutions and rules are indispensable in communities of free and responsible people. They rejected the excesses of power and warned of the dangers of promoting ideal worlds. 
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spelling doaj-art-e4eeb17203d64e6fa5e07949dcf35eb72025-08-20T02:53:06ZspaUniversidad Complutense de MadridIberian Journal of the History of Economic Thought2386-57682025-06-0112110.5209/ijhe.102386Liberal rationality in The Fable of the Bees. A comparison with Adam Smith and Wenceslao Fernández FlórezCarlos Rodríguez Braun0Fernando Méndez Ibisate1Universidad Complutense de MadridUniversidad Complutense de Madrid Mandeville, Smith and Fernández Flórez approached economic and social problems defending liberty and at the same time acknowledging the existence of conflicts and contradictions that demand ethics, politics and law. Their liberal rationality is not Panglossianly optimistic, neither is it cynic, and their individualism not only does not exclude society but builds upon it. They admitted the complexity of human nature and society as they really are, and recognized that we would not progress economically suppressing the market, just as we would not do so morally in a fantastic universe without sins. The three stressed that institutions and rules are indispensable in communities of free and responsible people. They rejected the excesses of power and warned of the dangers of promoting ideal worlds.  https://revistas.ucm.es/index.php/IJHE/article/view/102386Adam SmithBernard MandevilleliberalismWenceslao Fernández Flórez
spellingShingle Carlos Rodríguez Braun
Fernando Méndez Ibisate
Liberal rationality in The Fable of the Bees. A comparison with Adam Smith and Wenceslao Fernández Flórez
Iberian Journal of the History of Economic Thought
Adam Smith
Bernard Mandeville
liberalism
Wenceslao Fernández Flórez
title Liberal rationality in The Fable of the Bees. A comparison with Adam Smith and Wenceslao Fernández Flórez
title_full Liberal rationality in The Fable of the Bees. A comparison with Adam Smith and Wenceslao Fernández Flórez
title_fullStr Liberal rationality in The Fable of the Bees. A comparison with Adam Smith and Wenceslao Fernández Flórez
title_full_unstemmed Liberal rationality in The Fable of the Bees. A comparison with Adam Smith and Wenceslao Fernández Flórez
title_short Liberal rationality in The Fable of the Bees. A comparison with Adam Smith and Wenceslao Fernández Flórez
title_sort liberal rationality in the fable of the bees a comparison with adam smith and wenceslao fernandez florez
topic Adam Smith
Bernard Mandeville
liberalism
Wenceslao Fernández Flórez
url https://revistas.ucm.es/index.php/IJHE/article/view/102386
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