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# Original Destination of Man

## Definition

Smith's assertion that human beings were originally intended by nature to cultivate the ground, as evidenced by the universal predilection for agricultural employment across all stages of human existence. This natural inclination toward cultivation forms the basis for understanding why capital naturally flows toward land improvement before manufacturing or foreign trade.

## Source Chapter

Book III, Chapter 1

## Context

This philosophical premise supports Smith's argument about the natural order of economic development, explaining why agricultural improvement precedes urban manufacturing and why people generally prefer the independence and security of land ownership over commercial pursuits.

## Economic Domain

General Theory

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