---
entity_slug: agricultural_systems_of_political_economy
evaluator: null
evaluated_at: '2026-02-23T00:32:11.439689'
overall_score: 4.0
scores:
- name: definition_precision
  value: 4.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: The definition clearly distinguishes agricultural systems from mercantile
    systems by their emphasis on land as the primary source of wealth versus manufacturing
    and trade. It captures a distinct economic philosophy with specific theoretical
    commitments about the sources of national wealth.
- name: source_grounding
  value: 5.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: This entity is directly grounded in Book IV, Chapter 9, where Smith explicitly
    discusses and critiques the agricultural systems developed by French philosophers
    as a reaction to Colbert's mercantile policies. The definition accurately reflects
    Smith's presentation of these competing economic theories.
- name: domain_placement
  value: 5.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: '"General Theory" is the appropriate domain placement since this represents
    a comprehensive school of economic thought with systematic theoretical principles
    about wealth creation. It''s a foundational theoretical framework rather than
    a specific policy or mechanism.'
- name: vsm_relevance
  value: 2.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: This entity represents a high-level theoretical framework or ideology
    about economic systems rather than an operational component that would map to
    specific VSM functions. It's too abstract and meta-theoretical to have a natural
    home in any particular VSM system.
- name: explanatory_value
  value: 4.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: This entity provides significant explanatory value by identifying a major
    alternative to mercantile thinking and showing how economic theories emerge as
    reactions to previous policy approaches. It illuminates the structural relationship
    between different schools of economic thought and their historical development.
---

# Evaluation: Agricultural Systems Of Political Economy

## definition_precision — 4.0 / 5.0

The definition clearly distinguishes agricultural systems from mercantile systems by their emphasis on land as the primary source of wealth versus manufacturing and trade. It captures a distinct economic philosophy with specific theoretical commitments about the sources of national wealth.

## source_grounding — 5.0 / 5.0

This entity is directly grounded in Book IV, Chapter 9, where Smith explicitly discusses and critiques the agricultural systems developed by French philosophers as a reaction to Colbert's mercantile policies. The definition accurately reflects Smith's presentation of these competing economic theories.

## domain_placement — 5.0 / 5.0

"General Theory" is the appropriate domain placement since this represents a comprehensive school of economic thought with systematic theoretical principles about wealth creation. It's a foundational theoretical framework rather than a specific policy or mechanism.

## vsm_relevance — 2.0 / 5.0

This entity represents a high-level theoretical framework or ideology about economic systems rather than an operational component that would map to specific VSM functions. It's too abstract and meta-theoretical to have a natural home in any particular VSM system.

## explanatory_value — 4.0 / 5.0

This entity provides significant explanatory value by identifying a major alternative to mercantile thinking and showing how economic theories emerge as reactions to previous policy approaches. It illuminates the structural relationship between different schools of economic thought and their historical development.
