The Wealth of Nations · Character
Their Masters
The unseen employers whose fields, workshops, and households absorb the labour of everyone below them, setting wages and terms from a distance.
supporting
Also known as their masters
First appearance: viii of the wages of labour
As a supporting figure in The Wealth of Nations, Their Masters is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
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In Smith's economic drama, masters are the counterpart to workers: the ones who buy labour, own the capital, and decide whether to hire or hold back. Their bargaining advantage is structural, not personal — they can…
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See Their Masters 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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