<!-- generated: provider=openrouter model=arcee-ai/trinity-large-preview:free date=2026-02-19 source=book-3-chapter-02 -->

# Agricultural Security Gradient

## Definition

The varying degrees of legal protection afforded to different types of agricultural tenure, ranging from the absolute insecurity of villeinage to the strong protections of English freehold, which Smith argues directly correlates with the level of agricultural improvement achieved.

## Source Chapter

Book III, Chapter 2

## Context

Smith traces how different legal systems regarding land tenure created different incentives for improvement, showing that regions with stronger tenant protections (like England) achieved greater agricultural advancement than those where tenants faced arbitrary eviction or excessive taxation.

## Economic Domain

Regulation

---
