Question

question 1-7
read the passage below, and answer the question that follows.

in china, besides in indostan, and in several other governments of asia, the revenue of the sovereign arises almost altogether from a land tax or land rent, which rises and falls with the rise and fall of the annual produce of the land... but the revenue of the sovereign does not, in any part of europe, arise chiefly from a land tax or land rent. in all the great kingdoms of europe, perhaps, the greater part of it may ultimately depend upon the produce of the land: but that dependency is neither so immediate, nor so evident.
source: adam smith, the wealth of nations, book 8, chapter 1, 1776

which alternative source of non - land revenue for european monarchs is referenced in the passage?
○ clerics
○ colonies
○ factories
○ merchants

Explanation:

The passage states that in European great kingdoms, the sovereign's revenue doesn't chiefly come from land tax/rent, but the "greater part of it may ultimately depend upon the produce of the land"—this implies a non - direct, non - land - tax source related to land produce. Colonies were a source of revenue for European monarchs as they could extract resources (produce - related revenue) from colonies, unlike the other options: clerics don't relate to land produce - based non - land revenue, factories weren't a major revenue source in the context of the passage's time (1776, pre - industrial revolution emphasis on land - related colonial produce), and merchants are more about trade rather than land - produce - dependent revenue.

Answer:

colonies