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The invisible hand is a term coined by Adam Smith in the 1700s to describe the operation of free markets. The general idea is that individuals pursuing their own self interest ends up doing what is best for society "as if guided by an invisible hand".

As an example, when the price of a goods increase due to higher demand or lower supply, more people will start producing this goods. They do this out of self interest, tempted by the high sales price, but it also benefits society as a whole since the larger supply will make the goods available to more buyers as well as driving the price down again.

The short answer would be 'allocation': The invisible hand puts more resources into producing goods for which there is a shortage, as evidenced by high profit margins, at the expense of goods for which there is a surplus, as evidenced by low or negative profit margins. And the invisible hand keeps doing these adjusments continously without anyone planning or ordering that society should produce more of what it needs and less of what it doesn't need.

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14y ago
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9y ago

The invisible hand of competition manipulates supply and demand. When there are more competitors to choose from, prices will be lower.

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Q: What did Adam Smith meant by the invisible hand of the marketplace?
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Who first talked about the invisible hand of the marketplace?

Adam Smith


Adam smith argured that business activity would be regulated by the forces of what?

The "invisible hand" of the marketplace - the buyers and sellers.


Adam Smith argued that free trade produced the wealth of nations through?

Adam Smith made the argument that free trade produced the wealth of nations through what he called the invisible hand. The invisible hand refers to the way the marketplace is self-regulating. Smith was a Scottish philosopher.


What did Adam smith mean when he talked about the invisible had of the marketplace?

Adam's Smith's Invisible Hand of the Marketplace is the theory that economic imbalances are self-correcting, not requiring intervention by government so long as the equal rights of the individual are respected. The Invisible Hand of the Marketplace is also referred to as the principle of Spontaneous Order or the Laissez-Faire principle. The concept of spontaneous order was understood by Chinese philisophers such as Zhuangzi (369BC - 286BC) "Good order results spontaneously when things are let alone."


Who first talked about the invisible hand of the market?

Adam Smith, 1776, in the book The Wealth of Nations.


Adam Smith's ideas about the Invisible hand?

The greatest benefit to a society is brought about by individuals acting freely in a competitive marketplace in the pursuit of their own self-interest.


What do we mean when we say invisible hand?

Adam Smith's invisible hand theory


Adam smith believed in laissez faire by which he meant that?

Laissez faire translates as "Let it be," by this Smith meant that gornments had no place interfering in business practices or the economy. He felt that Capitalism would naturally regulate itself with the invisible hand.


According to Adam Smith the market was directed by?

an invisible hand.


According to Adam smith the market was directed by which of these?

an invisible hand


What are two factors that regulate a marketplace according to Adam smith?

Supply and demand are the 2 factors that regulate a marketplace.


What did Adam smith mean by the invisible hand of the marketplace?

Adam Smith's invisible hand refers to the self correcting features of a free market. Prices respond to the combined influences of supply and demand, and no regulatory agency or deliberate guidance is needed to make this happen, it happens by itself. When there is reduced supply and/or increased demand, prices will rise, and so forth. It is as though someone is making it happen, yet you do not see anyone doing it, so it is like an invisible hand.