invisible hand

[ in-viz-uh-buhl hand ]

noun

1. (in the economics of Adam Smith) an unseen force or mechanism that guides individuals to unwittingly benefit society through the pursuit of their private interests.

invisible hand

1. A term used by Adam Smith to describe his belief that individuals seeking their economic self-interest actually benefit society more than they would if they tried to benefit society directly. The statement “ What's good for the country is good for General Motors, and vice versa ” expresses essentially the same belief.

Word History and Origins

Origin of invisible hand¹

First recorded in 1775–80

Example Sentences

It said Ms Wadhwa was “the invisible hand behind everything that had taken place.”

From BBC

It said that Ms Wadhwa was “the invisible hand behind everything that had taken place.”

From BBC

“For a celebrity, an athlete, a musician, to lend their name, their influence to a candidate, they are risking a lot — starting with some amount of trolling in the comment section. It’s not without its sacrifices, so you have to really be motivated to do it on behalf of a candidate,” said Genevieve Roth, founder and president of Invisible Hand, a culture change and strategy agency, who also served as director of creative engagement on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign.

From Los Angeles Times

In the introduction to his memoir, “In My Time of Dying,” which Simon & Schuster will publish on May 21, he describes his own near-drowning while surfing — the shock of being shoved underwater as if by an invisible hand, the flashbulb memory of dirty dishes in his sink, the way the shadow of death suddenly eclipsed an ordinary day.

From New York Times

“A Day of Unreasonable Conversation,” spearheaded by social impact agency Propper Daley, with partner organization Invisible Hand as creative directors, was meant to “unlock progress through the power of narrative and creative expression.”

From Los Angeles Times