# The Servants of the Company — The Wealth of Nations character guide

> The Servants of the Company in The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith.

**Role:** minor

**Also known as:** The servants of the company, the servants of the company, themselves, their

**First appearance:** 0057-vii-of-colonies

## Who they are

Employees of trading companies in colonial context.

## In the story

### [Of Colonies](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wealth_of_nations_se/chapters/vii-of-colonies)

Criticized for their private trade that stunts colonial growth and for governing in their own interest rather than the colony's.

### [I: Of the Expenses of the Sovereign or Commonwealth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wealth_of_nations_se/chapters/i-of-the-expenses-of-the-sovereign-or-commonwealth)

Criticized for wasting and embezzling surplus revenues of the East India Company, contributing to its mismanagement.

### [Article I: Of the Public Works and Institutions for Facilitating the Commerce of the Society](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wealth_of_nations_se/chapters/article-i-of-the-public-works-and-institutions-for-facilitating-the-commerce-of-the-society)

Referenced in relation to the African Company's operations and potential monopolistic practices.

### [Of the Public Works and Institutions Which Are Necessary for Facilitating Particular Branches of Commerce](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wealth_of_nations_se/chapters/of-the-public-works-and-institutions-which-are-necessary-for-facilitating-particular-branches-of-commerce)

Mentioned as those who might waste or embezzle surplus revenue, and whose interests could predominate in the court of proprietors.

### [Article I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wealth_of_nations_se/chapters/article-i)

Mentioned in the context of exchanging a modus for a payment in kind in Bengal, likely to the detriment of cultivation and public revenue.

### [Taxes Which Are Proportioned, Not to the Rent, but to the Produce of Land](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wealth_of_nations_se/chapters/taxes-which-are-proportioned-not-to-the-rent-but-to-the-produce-of-land)

Criticized for exchanging a moderate modus for payment in kind, discouraging cultivation and enabling abuse.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wealth_of_nations_se/characters/the_servants_of_the_company
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wealth_of_nations_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wealth_of_nations_se/characters