Editing Primogeniture (section)

===Reemergence in medieval and modern times===
The law of primogeniture in Europe has its origins in [[Medieval Europe]] where the [[feudal system]] necessitated that the [[Fiefdom|estates]] of land-owning feudal lords be kept as large and as united as possible to maintain social stability as well as the wealth, power and social standing of their families.<ref name="www2.hn.psu.edu" />

[[Adam Smith]], in his book ''[[The Wealth of Nations|An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations]]'', explains the origin of primogeniture in Europe in the following way:

{{blockquote|[W]hen land was considered as the means, not of subsistence merely, but of power and protection, it was thought better that it should descend undivided to one. In those disorderly times, every great landlord was a sort of petty prince. His tenants were his subjects. He was their judge, and in some respects their legislator in peace and their leader in war. He made war according to his own discretion, frequently against his neighbours, and sometimes against his sovereign. The security of a landed estate, therefore, the protection which its owner could afford to those who dwelt on it, depended upon its greatness. To divide it was to ruin it, and to expose every part of it to be oppressed and swallowed up by the incursions of its neighbours. The law of primogeniture, therefore, came to take place, not immediately indeed, but in process of time, in the succession of landed estates, for the same reason that it has generally taken place in that of monarchies, though not always at their first institution.<ref>[http://www2.hn.psu.edu/faculty/jmanis/adamsmith.htm HN.psu.edu] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413191047/http://www2.hn.psu.edu/faculty/jmanis/adamsmith.htm |date=13 April 2010 }} Smith, Adam (1776), Penn State Electronic Classics edition, republished 2005, pp. 312–313.</ref>}}