---
entity_slug: national_prejudice_and_animosity_in_trade
evaluator: null
evaluated_at: '2026-02-23T05:57:27.678617'
overall_score: 4.6
scores:
- name: definition_precision
  value: 4.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: The definition clearly distinguishes between emotional/political motivations
    versus economic reasoning in trade policy, identifying a specific causal mechanism.
    It could be slightly more precise about the distinction between prejudice and
    animosity, but overall captures a distinct concept.
- name: source_grounding
  value: 5.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: This concept is explicitly and extensively discussed in Book IV, Chapter
    3, where Smith analyzes how merchants exploit national sentiments and how governments
    adopt harmful policies based on animosity toward other nations. The entity accurately
    reflects Smith's actual arguments about the psychological and political drivers
    of mercantile policy.
- name: domain_placement
  value: 5.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: '"Regulation" is the correct domain placement since this concept directly
    concerns how trade restrictions and policies are formed and justified. The entity
    deals with the regulatory mechanisms that distort natural market operations.'
- name: vsm_relevance
  value: 4.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: This maps well to S4 (intelligence/environmental adaptation) as it describes
    how nations misinterpret and respond to their economic environment based on flawed
    information processing driven by emotion rather than rational analysis. It also
    touches on S5 (identity/policy) regarding national identity influencing policy
    formation.
- name: explanatory_value
  value: 5.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: This entity provides significant explanatory power by identifying the
    psychological and political mechanisms that lead to economically irrational trade
    policies. It explains why nations persist in mutually harmful trade restrictions
    despite clear economic evidence against such policies.
---

# Evaluation: National Prejudice And Animosity In Trade

## definition_precision — 4.0 / 5.0

The definition clearly distinguishes between emotional/political motivations versus economic reasoning in trade policy, identifying a specific causal mechanism. It could be slightly more precise about the distinction between prejudice and animosity, but overall captures a distinct concept.

## source_grounding — 5.0 / 5.0

This concept is explicitly and extensively discussed in Book IV, Chapter 3, where Smith analyzes how merchants exploit national sentiments and how governments adopt harmful policies based on animosity toward other nations. The entity accurately reflects Smith's actual arguments about the psychological and political drivers of mercantile policy.

## domain_placement — 5.0 / 5.0

"Regulation" is the correct domain placement since this concept directly concerns how trade restrictions and policies are formed and justified. The entity deals with the regulatory mechanisms that distort natural market operations.

## vsm_relevance — 4.0 / 5.0

This maps well to S4 (intelligence/environmental adaptation) as it describes how nations misinterpret and respond to their economic environment based on flawed information processing driven by emotion rather than rational analysis. It also touches on S5 (identity/policy) regarding national identity influencing policy formation.

## explanatory_value — 5.0 / 5.0

This entity provides significant explanatory power by identifying the psychological and political mechanisms that lead to economically irrational trade policies. It explains why nations persist in mutually harmful trade restrictions despite clear economic evidence against such policies.
