An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith is sort of a how-to, I guess. It's a description of why specialization and the division of labor, combined with free trade, lead to prosperity.
Another book of a similar title, The Wealth and Poverty of Nations: Why Some Are So Rich and Some So Poor by David S. Landes, is a prominent work in development economics and is more of a comparison of different institutions.
I think most economists would say the purpose of economics is to understand human behavior under conditions of scarcity. Most would probably add on something about informing wise public policy.
An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith is sort of a how-to, I guess. It's a description of why specialization and the division of labor, combined with free trade, lead to prosperity.
Another book of a similar title, The Wealth and Poverty of Nations: Why Some Are So Rich and Some So Poor by David S. Landes, is a prominent work in development economics and is more of a comparison of different institutions.
I think most economists would say the purpose of economics is to understand human behavior under conditions of scarcity. Most would probably add on something about informing wise public policy.