---
entity_slug: colonial_market_expansion
evaluator: null
evaluated_at: '2026-02-23T04:51:16.606398'
overall_score: 4.4
scores:
- name: definition_precision
  value: 4.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: The definition clearly distinguishes colonial market expansion as the
    growth of commercial opportunities through new markets and raw material sources,
    with specific mention of increased system size and productive employment. It avoids
    circularity and captures a distinct economic phenomenon rather than being a vague
    umbrella term.
- name: source_grounding
  value: 5.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: This concept is directly grounded in Smith's actual arguments from Book
    IV, Chapter 7, where he explicitly discusses how colonial development creates
    new markets for manufactured goods and sources of raw materials. The entity accurately
    reflects Smith's position that colonies expand commercial opportunities and that
    monopoly restrictions limit this beneficial expansion.
- name: domain_placement
  value: 5.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: The "Exchange" domain is perfectly appropriate since colonial market
    expansion fundamentally concerns the creation of new trading relationships, commercial
    networks, and market mechanisms. This is clearly about exchange systems rather
    than production, distribution, or consumption per se.
- name: vsm_relevance
  value: 4.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: This entity maps well to S4 (intelligence/environmental adaptation) as
    it represents the economic system's expansion into new environments and adaptation
    to colonial opportunities. It also has relevance to S1 (primary operations) as
    it creates new operational domains for trade and commerce.
- name: explanatory_value
  value: 4.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: The entity provides genuine explanatory power by illuminating the mechanism
    through which colonization benefits the economic system - specifically through
    market expansion that enables greater division of labor and production efficiency.
    It goes beyond merely naming a phenomenon to explain the structural relationship
    between colonial development and economic growth.
---

# Evaluation: Colonial Market Expansion

## definition_precision — 4.0 / 5.0

The definition clearly distinguishes colonial market expansion as the growth of commercial opportunities through new markets and raw material sources, with specific mention of increased system size and productive employment. It avoids circularity and captures a distinct economic phenomenon rather than being a vague umbrella term.

## source_grounding — 5.0 / 5.0

This concept is directly grounded in Smith's actual arguments from Book IV, Chapter 7, where he explicitly discusses how colonial development creates new markets for manufactured goods and sources of raw materials. The entity accurately reflects Smith's position that colonies expand commercial opportunities and that monopoly restrictions limit this beneficial expansion.

## domain_placement — 5.0 / 5.0

The "Exchange" domain is perfectly appropriate since colonial market expansion fundamentally concerns the creation of new trading relationships, commercial networks, and market mechanisms. This is clearly about exchange systems rather than production, distribution, or consumption per se.

## vsm_relevance — 4.0 / 5.0

This entity maps well to S4 (intelligence/environmental adaptation) as it represents the economic system's expansion into new environments and adaptation to colonial opportunities. It also has relevance to S1 (primary operations) as it creates new operational domains for trade and commerce.

## explanatory_value — 4.0 / 5.0

The entity provides genuine explanatory power by illuminating the mechanism through which colonization benefits the economic system - specifically through market expansion that enables greater division of labor and production efficiency. It goes beyond merely naming a phenomenon to explain the structural relationship between colonial development and economic growth.
