The Economic Thought of Sir James Steuart: First Economist of the Scottish Enlightenment : Routledge : 9781138335967 : 1138335967 : 28 Oct 2019 : James Steuart published An Inquiry into the Principles of Political ?conomy in 1767, the first systematic treatise on economics, nine years before Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations. Traditional historiography has tended to disregard and even deny Steuart's oeuvre, categorizing him as the last, outdated advocate of mercantilist policies in Britain. A clear portrait of a modernizing and enlightened Steuart emerges from this book, opening up an alternative approach to many key developments in economic theory. This book brings together a diverse international team of experts to overturn the "advocate of mercantilism" myth and explore different interpretations of Steuart's work within the context of the writings of other contemporary authors. A diverse range of specialists ? historians, economists, political scientist, and sociologists ? reflecting