We have previously posted  on this magnum opus written by Scottish economist and moral philosopher Adam Smith.  An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations aka Wealth of Nations is as previously discussed a fundamental work into the classical economics behind building a nation’s wealth.  This work also touches on division of labor, productivity and free markets.

For an interesting analysis of Smith’s position respective of wages please see:

http://conversableeconomist.blogspot.com/2013/12/barack-obama-adam-smith-and-minimum-wage.html

Book One, Chapter Eight of the Wealth of Nations, Of the Wages of Labour, may be read here:

http://www.bartleby.com/10/108.html

In the alternative, this may be heard in its audiobook format here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5siHazh2JXk&t=902s