The Wealth of Nations · Character
Their Master
The singular employer whose authority over a worker's time and subsistence makes him the immediate horizon of that worker's economic life.
supporting
Also known as their master, himself
First appearance: viii of the wages of labour
As a supporting figure in The Wealth of Nations, Their Master is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
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Where 'masters' are a class, 'their master' is the particular man a labourer answers to — the one who pays, directs, and can dismiss. Smith uses this figure to show how personal dependence and market forces intertwine…
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See Their Master in viii of the wages of labourNarrative 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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