Political Economy Reading Program

Adam Smith and the Wealth of Nations at 250

The theme for the fall 2026 reading program is Adam Smith and the Wealth of Nations at 250. In recognition of the 250^th anniversary of the publication of An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, a treatise that shaped the foundations of economics as a distinct discipline, participants will dive deep into both Smith’s own work as well as the secondary literature on his ideas. The readings and discussion will address a range of questions including:

• How was Smith's thought different from the thinkers who preceded him, and how is it different from modern economic and political thought?
• What is the relationship between Smith's two books, The Wealth of Nations and The Theory of Moral Sentiments? Do they complement each other or are they at odds?
• What relevance do Smith's ideas have for contemporary discussions about philosophy, politics, and economics?

Participants will receive copies of all required reading materials. The full schedule of readings and topics of discussion will be posted to this page at a later date. The program will begin with an introductory meeting at the start of the fall 2026 semester, followed by ten (10) discussion meetings and one public lecture.

Meetings will be held on Mondays and Thursdays from 5:00 PM–6:15 PM at Texas Tech University. Dinner will be provided after each discussion session. The program will conclude on or before Thursday, October 8, 2026.

FMI Public Speaker Series and Program Summit

Michael C. Munger, Pfizer, Inc./Edmund T. Pratt, Jr. University Distinguished Professor in the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University, will deliver a public lecture at Texas Tech University, marking the 250^th anniversary of The Wealth of Nations, on Thursday, September 10, 2026. Participants are expected to attend that lecture as part of the program.

Participants will also attend a weekend multi-school summit on September 11-12, 2026 (Friday/Saturday) hosted at Texas Tech University. Prof. Munger will offer additional formal remarks at the summit. Participants in the summit program will read and discuss some of Prof. Munger’s work on Adam Smith prior to the summit program and participate in interactive discussion groups on issues related to the program theme.

Program Eligibility and Application

Full-time undergraduate students from any field of study are eligible and encouraged to apply. The deadline to apply for the fall 2026 program is Thursday, June 11, 2026. Interested students may apply at the link below:

FMI Political Economy Reading Program - Fall 2026 Application

Past Reading Programs

To view information about previous iterations of this program, visit the archive at the following link:

FMI Political Economy Reading Program Archive

If you have questions about the Political Economy Reading Program, or if you would like to receive updates and announcements about future programs, please contact the Free Market Institute at free.market@ttu.edu or 806.742.7138.