<!-- generated: provider=openrouter model=arcee-ai/trinity-large-preview:free date=2026-02-19 source=book-4-introduction -->

# Economic System Structure

## Definition

The organizational framework and institutional arrangements that define how economic activity is organized, including the relationships between different economic actors, the distribution of decision-making authority, and the mechanisms through which economic processes are coordinated and controlled.

## Source Chapter

Book IV, Chapter 0

## Context

Smith's analysis of different systems implies the importance of understanding their structural characteristics and how these structures influence their operation and outcomes.

## Economic Domain

General Theory

---
