About The Wealth of Nations
What it's about
The book that founded economics. Adam Smith shows how dividing work makes a nation rich, why we get our dinner from the baker's self-interest rather than her kindness, and how an 'invisible hand' turns private gain into public good.
Who it's for
Students of economics and social studies, and anyone who has heard of 'the invisible hand' and wants to read Smith's own words, made simple.
- Level
- CEFR B2
- Length
- 3 parts · about 765 words
- Reading time
- about 6 minutes (~2 min per part)
- Author
- Adam Smith
If you liked this, read
- The Way to Wealth · B2
- My Life and Work · B2
- On Liberty · B2
Looking for something easier or harder? See Easy English books by level (A1–B2).
Reading The Wealth of Nations in English: quick answers
- What English level is The Wealth of Nations on SeoJae Story?
- The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith is retold in simplified English at CEFR B2 (upper-intermediate). It is split into 3 short parts, and every sentence has a Korean translation you can show or hide, so a learner at that level can follow the story without a dictionary.
- Is The Wealth of Nations hard to read in English?
- The original is written for native readers, with long sentences and older vocabulary, so most learners find it hard. This retelling keeps the story but uses simpler English at CEFR B2 (upper-intermediate), so if you read English at that level you can follow it, and the Korean translation is there for any line that stops you. If it feels too hard, start with an easier book one level down.
- How long does it take to read The Wealth of Nations in simple English?
- About 6 minutes of reading in total — roughly 2 minutes per part across 3 parts. Listening to the audio narration, reviewing the vocabulary and taking each part's comprehension check adds a little more.
- Is this the full, unabridged text of The Wealth of Nations?
- No. It is an abridged graded retelling written for English learners that follows the story of the original in 3 parts. Every part also lets you read the matching unabridged chapters from the original, split into short readings.
- Is The Wealth of Nations free to read here?
- Yes. All 3 parts are free to read online, with the Korean translation, audio narration, vocabulary flashcards and comprehension questions included.
- Is The Wealth of Nations in the public domain?
- Yes. Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations is in the public domain, and the original text is freely available from Project Gutenberg (eBook #3300). SeoJae Story's simplified retelling and Korean translation are original text written for learners.