The Wealth of Nations · Character
A Workman
The artificer whose workshop is his only harvest: when he marches off to war, nature does nothing for him, and the public must pay his way.
supporting
Also known as himself, a workman
First appearance: VIII: Of the Wages of Labour
As a supporting figure in The Wealth of Nations, A Workman is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
Generic worker used in the pin-making example to illustrate the contrast between specialized and unspecialized labour.
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In Of the Division of Labour: Generic worker used in the pin-making example to illustrate the contrast between specialized and unspecialized labour. Later, in Of the Principle Which Gives Occasion to the Division of…
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See A Workman in VIII: Of the Wages of LabourCharacter Web
19 connectionsA slice of how A Workman sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Labor and wage dynamics
- Diverse authorities and generic roles
- Ancient authorities and examples
+14 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This passage marks the story's dramatic climax because it presents the emotional and psychological peak of Smi…
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A Workman appears across 16 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
- Of the Division of Labour
- Of the Principle Which Gives Occasion to the Division of Labour
- V: Of the Real and Nominal Price of Commodities, or of Their Price in Labour, and Their Price in Money
- Of the Component Parts of the Price of Commodities
- Of the Natural and Market Price of Commodities
- VIII: Of the Wages of Labour
- X: Of Wages and Profit in the Different Employments of Labour and Stock
- I: Inequalities Arising from the Nature of the Employments Themselves
- +8 more
Chapter companion notes
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See A Workman in VIII: Of the Wages of Labour