Analysis of information sources in references of the Wikipedia article "國富論" in Chinese language version.
It is frequently said that Adam Smith used the invisible hand metaphor in reference to how the market price was determined, but this is a later interpretation of the concept which does not reflect Adam Smith’s view of market price. For Adam Smith the natural price was determined external to the market in the labour process, and the market superimposed fluctuations as a result of imbalances in supply and demand: '... market price will be liable to great fluctuations, will sometimes fall a good deal below, and sometimes rise a good deal above their natural price. In the other species of industry, the produce of equal quantities of labour being always the same, or very nearly the same, it can be more exactly suited to the effectual demand. While that demand continues the same, therefore, the market price of the commodities is likely to do so too, and to be either altogether, or as nearly as can be judged of, the same with the natural price. ... '
后人一般认为斯密用'看不见的手'来隐喻市场规律。但从斯密前后学术思想来看，'看不见的手'更可能指的是自然神学中的上帝创造的规则。美国经济史学家艾玛•罗斯柴尔德在《经济情操论》中指出，'看不见的手'在斯密的作品中出现过几次：「最早是斯密的“天文学史”文稿中，指的是'看不见的神物'【6】。第二次出现在《道德情操论》中，斯密这样描述：『尽管他们生性自私贪婪，雇佣千百万劳动力为自己劳作，但他们同时分享所获得的产品。这些地主被一只'看不见的手'引导着去进行生活必需品的分配，尽管他们没有打算去做，没有真正去做，却不知不觉促进了社会的利益。【3】』这里表达的意思应该与《国富论》中是完全一致的。所以，'看不见的手'表示市场规律更可能是之后经济学家的拔高。不过，'看不见的手'的描述依然给我们打开了探索市场规律之门。真正推动市场运行的源动力是人的自利之心。斯密在《国富论》中非常经典地写道：『我们每天所需的食物和饮料，不是出自屠户、酿酒商或面包师的恩惠，而是出于他们自利的打算……通过追逐自己的利益，他经常促进了社会的利益。【7】』」 … 最后，将斯密界定为一个彻底的'自由放任主义者'或许是一种误区。因为他在《国富论》最后一篇中论述了政府职责及作为，包括国防、司法、公共教育、公共工程及公共财政支出等等。
