Question

use the excerpt to answer the question. \the rich consume little more than the poor, and in spite of their natural selfishness and rapacity. . . they divide with the poor the produce of all their improvements. they are led by an invisible hand to make nearly the same distribution of the necessaries of life, which would have been made, had the earth been divided into equal portions among all its inhabitants, and thus without intending it, without knowing it, advance the interest of the society, and afford means to the multiplication of the species.\ what economic system does the evidence support? (1 point) o utopian socialism o communism o laissez - faire capitalism o mercantilism

Explanation:

The excerpt describes a situation where the rich consume more and the poor produce, with an "invisible hand" guiding distribution. Laissez - faire capitalism is based on the idea of the invisible hand (Adam Smith's concept) where self - interested actions lead to overall economic benefit without central planning. Mercantilism focuses on trade balance and state control. Communism aims for equal distribution through collective ownership. Utopian socialism is a pre - Marxist form of socialist thought. The mention of the invisible hand points to laissez - faire capitalism.

Answer:

laissez - faire capitalism