The Origin of the Distinction of Ranks is one of the major products of the Scottish Enlightenment and a masterpiece of jurisprudence and social theory. Drawing on Adam Smith's four-stages theory of history and the natural law's traditional division of domestic duties into those toward servants, children, and women, Millar provides a rich historical analysis of the ways in which progressive economic change transforms the nature of authority.

John Millar (1735-1801) attended Adam Smith's lectures at the University of Glasgow and later became a distinguished professor of law there.

Aaron Garrett is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Boston University.