Adam Smiths Lectures on Jurisprudence Essay -- Economics Lectures Jur

Adam Smith's Lectures on Jurisprudence Adam Smith, in his Lectures of Jurisprudence, makes an argument for the necessity of marriage through biological mechanisms. While superficially similar, his arguments seem to differ greatly from the modern notion of how labor is distributed within the household. Instead of examining the comparative advantages in production between the husband and the wife, Smith seems to focus on the importance of lineage and, more specifically, inheritance. The foundation of Smith’s argument for the necessity of marriage is rooted in children. He begins with examples contrary to the human experience. He finds that in mammals, since â€Å"the support of the young is no burthen to the female† any further relation is seen as unnecessary (Smith 438). Birds, however, â€Å"some such thing as marriage seems to take place† (438). He quickly counters with: â€Å"but whenever the young can shift for themselves all further inclination ceases† (438). The essential piece of this argument here is the demands made on the parent by the child. According to his argument, th...