Early eighteenth-century England saw a rise in the popularity of the concept of politeness, and ideals of politeness became well-established over the course of the century, its values and languages spreading through all aspects of England’s cultural world. In light of its importance, there are already established studies on representative theorists of politeness such as Joseph Addison and the Third Earl of Shaftesbury. However, in the current scholarship on politeness, the relationship between Defoe’s works and politeness culture is still being discussed. This essay compares Defoe’s works with the works of Addison and Shaftesbury. I observe that Defoe agrees with these thinkers that conversation and commerce are the two key factors in politeness culture. Furthermore, I suggest that there are different layers within this culture: Shaftesbury’s targeted readers were aristocrats, Addison’s were primarily members of the gentry, and Defoe’s were tradesmen. This article is divided into four parts: First, I present a brief biographical sketch of Defoe and the relevant scholarship on his involvement with politeness culture; second, I provide an overview of politeness culture in the early eighteenth century and the current scholarship on this topic; third, I focus on the role of conversation in the cultivation of politeness in Defoe’s works, showing how appropriate speaking and listening contributed to a polite society. Finally, I explore Defoe’s belief in the impact of commercial development on the promotion of appropriate conversation and politeness. This study thus highlights Defoe’s eagerness to propagate the values of moderate conversation and peaceful interaction in business to the lower-middle classes, concluding that Defoe deserves to be regarded as a notable figure within the culture of politeness.