I think you are up for a surprise if you read the Wealth of nations. Adam Smith was a moral philosopher and was pretty preoccupied by the negative consequences of the division of labor.

Yeah, I've found other surprising passages in it before (I don't think I ever read it right through though). This was published before the French revolution, and a year before the United States happened, so it's cutting edge stuff.

I would say it's "surprisingly modern" and quite prescient - definitely worth reading.

I have noticed that Smith's writing is often mischaracterized by those with a mythology they want to promote.

If I remember correctly, Smith was concerned that the mercantile, feudalistic economies of his time was the source of poverty and inequality, and that free market economics would bring more prosperity to society.

Hence the title, “Wealth of Nations”.