<!-- generated: provider=openrouter model=arcee-ai/trinity-large-preview:free date=2026-02-19 source=book-3-chapter-03 -->

# Urban-Rural Reciprocity

## Definition

The mutually beneficial economic relationship between towns and countryside, where urban centers provide markets for rural produce and manufactured goods while rural areas supply food, raw materials, and agricultural products to towns. This reciprocity creates interdependent economic systems that drive broader economic development.

## Source Chapter

Book III, Chapter 3

## Context

Smith describes how the economic development of towns and countryside were interconnected, with urban commercial development eventually stimulating agricultural improvement. He shows that while towns developed economic autonomy first, their prosperity ultimately depended on and contributed to rural economic development, creating a reciprocal relationship that drove overall economic progress.

## Economic Domain

Exchange

---
