School of Social & Political Sciences

Craig Smith (Professor of the History of Political Thought) recently consulted on the National Theatre of Scotland’s production of ‘Make it Happen’. The play, written by James Graham, directed by Andrew Panton and starring Brian Cox, premiered at the Dundee Rep before a run at the Edinburgh Festival in August. In the play Cox plays the ghost of Adam Smith who returns to haunt Fred Goodwin of the Royal Bank of Scotland during the 2008 financial crisis. Professor Smith met with the director, writer, and cast during rehearsals to discuss the life of Adam Smith and answer questions on the Scottish Enlightenment. 

Professor Smith noted that: "It was a really interesting experience. Seeing behind the scenes and the preparation involved, and talking to the cast about their roles showed me just how much thought and work goes into a play like this.

"As someone who researches Adam Smith it was also great to see how the recent moves in Smith scholarship which try to dispel the caricature of him as a prophet of selfishness and capitalism have moved from the academic world into the arts.

"James Graham’s script uses humour to get across the serious message that the Smith of the Wealth of Nations is also the Smith of the Theory of Moral Sentiments, and that we can’t understand his ideas without realising this."

The University of Glasgow is the home of Adam Smith scholarship and will lead the celebrations for the 250^th anniversary of the publication of the Wealth of Nations in 2026.

Learn more here.

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First published: 28 August 2025