A very compact and a bit difficult reading of history of economic and political ideas. Hirschman tried to show that how many in 17th century believed that economic progress would lead to a more fair political system but the course of events and more careful analysis questioned that optimistic view. Adam Smith, he argued, was between the latter intellectuals who not only mentioned the possible negative effects of market society but by excluding the result of following individual passions by each person to the material well-being of the society paved the way for studying an independent discipline named economics.