<!-- generated: provider=openrouter model=arcee-ai/trinity-large-preview:free date=2026-02-19 source=book-1-chapter-10 -->

# Military Employment

## Definition

Service in the armed forces, which Smith analyses as offering poor compensation relative to the risks involved, with limited prospects for advancement and wages that fall below those of common labourers, sustained only by romantic notions of honour and distinction.

## Source Chapter

Book I, Chapter 10

## Context

Smith uses military service as an example of an occupation where the actual compensation falls far below what would be necessary to attract volunteers if people calculated risks and rewards rationally. He argues that romantic notions of honour sustain recruitment despite poor material conditions.

## Economic Domain

Distribution

---
