In my previous post, I used that term (“statecraft”) in quotes as if I were deriding the idea or the legitimacy of that idea. That is not what I was saying, since I believe that this is certainly a concept that I will readily accept as a legitimate way to describe and thus critique the deceptions about reality — “the way things are”— that the term implies. My usage of that in the post was challenging the accusation that this is the major characteristic or fallacy of Wallis’ narrative as put forth in God’s Politics. I do not see him as “under the spell” or “falling for the trap” that Smith does. But as I also say in the latter part of that post: “Persuade me”. Part of that challenge will come in my reading of Smith (I know, I’m stalling). Here I go now.