---
entity_slug: transportation_mode_economic_effects
evaluator: null
evaluated_at: '2026-02-23T06:33:48.363520'
overall_score: 4.4
scores:
- name: definition_precision
  value: 4.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: The definition clearly distinguishes between water-carriage and land-carriage
    effects on markets, specialization, and development patterns. It captures a specific
    economic mechanism rather than being vague, though it could be slightly more precise
    about the causal pathways.
- name: source_grounding
  value: 5.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: This entity is directly grounded in Smith's explicit comparison of transportation
    modes in Book I, Chapter 3, where he extensively discusses how water-carriage
    enables broader markets and greater division of labor compared to land-carriage.
    The contrast between these modes and their economic effects is a central theme
    in that chapter.
- name: domain_placement
  value: 5.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: The "Exchange" domain is perfectly appropriate since transportation modes
    fundamentally affect how goods are exchanged between markets and the extent of
    those markets. This is clearly about the mechanics and scope of economic exchange
    rather than production or distribution per se.
- name: vsm_relevance
  value: 3.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: This entity has some relevance to S4 (intelligence/environmental adaptation)
    as transportation infrastructure affects how economic systems adapt to geographic
    constraints, but it's more of a structural constraint than a clear VSM function.
    It's somewhat VSM-neutral as it describes environmental conditions rather than
    system operations.
- name: explanatory_value
  value: 5.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: This entity provides excellent explanatory power by illuminating the
    fundamental mechanism through which transportation infrastructure shapes economic
    development, market extent, and the possibility for specialization. It explains
    why geographic and infrastructural differences lead to different economic outcomes
    across regions.
---

# Evaluation: Transportation Mode Economic Effects

## definition_precision — 4.0 / 5.0

The definition clearly distinguishes between water-carriage and land-carriage effects on markets, specialization, and development patterns. It captures a specific economic mechanism rather than being vague, though it could be slightly more precise about the causal pathways.

## source_grounding — 5.0 / 5.0

This entity is directly grounded in Smith's explicit comparison of transportation modes in Book I, Chapter 3, where he extensively discusses how water-carriage enables broader markets and greater division of labor compared to land-carriage. The contrast between these modes and their economic effects is a central theme in that chapter.

## domain_placement — 5.0 / 5.0

The "Exchange" domain is perfectly appropriate since transportation modes fundamentally affect how goods are exchanged between markets and the extent of those markets. This is clearly about the mechanics and scope of economic exchange rather than production or distribution per se.

## vsm_relevance — 3.0 / 5.0

This entity has some relevance to S4 (intelligence/environmental adaptation) as transportation infrastructure affects how economic systems adapt to geographic constraints, but it's more of a structural constraint than a clear VSM function. It's somewhat VSM-neutral as it describes environmental conditions rather than system operations.

## explanatory_value — 5.0 / 5.0

This entity provides excellent explanatory power by illuminating the fundamental mechanism through which transportation infrastructure shapes economic development, market extent, and the possibility for specialization. It explains why geographic and infrastructural differences lead to different economic outcomes across regions.
