---
entity_slug: colonial_military_burden
evaluator: null
evaluated_at: '2026-02-23T04:51:25.901539'
overall_score: 4.2
scores:
- name: definition_precision
  value: 4.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: The definition clearly specifies what constitutes the colonial military
    burden (naval forces, troops, war expenditures) and identifies the key asymmetry
    that the mother country bears costs while colonies receive benefits. It captures
    a distinct economic concept rather than being vague or circular.
- name: source_grounding
  value: 5.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: This entity is directly grounded in Smith's analysis in Book IV, Chapter
    7, where he explicitly discusses the military costs of empire and argues they
    cannot be justified by colonial trade benefits. The asymmetric burden between
    mother country and colonies is a central theme in Smith's critique of the colonial
    system.
- name: domain_placement
  value: 4.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: '"Regulation" is appropriate since this concerns the regulatory and administrative
    costs of maintaining imperial control. However, it could also fit in a "Public
    Finance" or "Imperial Economics" domain, as it deals with government expenditure
    and fiscal burden distribution.'
- name: vsm_relevance
  value: 3.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: This entity has some VSM relevance as it relates to S3 (internal regulation/control
    costs) and potentially S4 (environmental threats requiring military response).
    However, it's primarily a cost accounting concept rather than a cybernetic control
    mechanism, making the VSM mapping somewhat forced.
- name: explanatory_value
  value: 5.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: This entity provides significant explanatory power by illuminating the
    structural economic contradiction in Smith's colonial critique - that the supposed
    beneficiaries of empire (colonies) don't bear its primary costs (military protection).
    This asymmetry is crucial to understanding Smith's argument against the colonial
    system's economic rationality.
---

# Evaluation: Colonial Military Burden

## definition_precision — 4.0 / 5.0

The definition clearly specifies what constitutes the colonial military burden (naval forces, troops, war expenditures) and identifies the key asymmetry that the mother country bears costs while colonies receive benefits. It captures a distinct economic concept rather than being vague or circular.

## source_grounding — 5.0 / 5.0

This entity is directly grounded in Smith's analysis in Book IV, Chapter 7, where he explicitly discusses the military costs of empire and argues they cannot be justified by colonial trade benefits. The asymmetric burden between mother country and colonies is a central theme in Smith's critique of the colonial system.

## domain_placement — 4.0 / 5.0

"Regulation" is appropriate since this concerns the regulatory and administrative costs of maintaining imperial control. However, it could also fit in a "Public Finance" or "Imperial Economics" domain, as it deals with government expenditure and fiscal burden distribution.

## vsm_relevance — 3.0 / 5.0

This entity has some VSM relevance as it relates to S3 (internal regulation/control costs) and potentially S4 (environmental threats requiring military response). However, it's primarily a cost accounting concept rather than a cybernetic control mechanism, making the VSM mapping somewhat forced.

## explanatory_value — 5.0 / 5.0

This entity provides significant explanatory power by illuminating the structural economic contradiction in Smith's colonial critique - that the supposed beneficiaries of empire (colonies) don't bear its primary costs (military protection). This asymmetry is crucial to understanding Smith's argument against the colonial system's economic rationality.
