even if it is something that is naturally present in the land, one that the landlord had nothing to do with.The key assumption that Smith makes throughout The Wealth of Nations is that man has a natural inclination to act in his own self-interest, and it is from this assumption that the natural order proposed by Smith comes to bear. However, to what degree one understands Man’s actions as self-interested depends largely upon the degree that one allows cynicism to color his or her perception of those actions. For example, consider a man who donates to a charity. On the one hand, economically he gains nothing from this action, and this action does not contribute to his private opulence, defined by Smith as “originally derived … [from] the uniform, constant and uninterrupted effort of every man to better his condition” (205). On the other hand, a more cynical individual might say that the giver gains some kind of metaphysical or subjective return from this action that contributes to his self-interest. Smith seems to have little faith in the natural goodness of Man, writing “it is in vain for [one man] to expect [help] from [other men’s] benevolence only” (22). This pessimistic viewpoint Smith holds might explain what leads him to see self-interest as the primary factor in the actions of humanity....
