Who Cooked Adam Smith's Dinner? A Story of Women and Economics

Marçal, a columnist for the Swedish paper Aftonbladet, examines the age-old economics question, "How do you get your dinner?" with thought-provoking results. Considering philosopher Adam Smith's concept of the "economic man," who was able to act in his own self-interest because there was always someone else there to prepare his meals, Marçal posits that as a result of not including other members of the population, this theory has produced a flawed model on which the world of business and economics is based. The author asserts that it isn't possible simply to replace "economic man" with "economic woman" because economic models don't account for work traditionally performed outside of the labor market, including housework and childcare. Marçal's analysis chronicles how this system of capitalism came to exist and demonstrates why the idea of the economic man may no longer be a solid fit. This humorous and accessible examination of serious issues at the crossroads of economics and gender equality is intended to stimulate questions more than to provide answers.