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In 1714 Bernard Mandeville published his provocative Fable of the Bees, in which he explored the relationship between morality and economic wealth. Mandeville's interest in what he called 'private vice' - the way an economy is driven by the base desires and villainous schemes of the populace - made the book a scandalous success. Meanwhile, along the way Mandeville gives an entertaining account of key principles of economic thought including division of labour, consumerism, and the balance of payments.