Source : GMATPrep
In the wealth of nations (1776), Scottish economist Adam Smith asserted that the propensity of “truck, barter and exchange” was both the foundation of commerce and a given quality of human nature, driven by individual desire. Smith’s view that self-interest dominated the business that emerged in early modern (sixteenth- and seventeenth century) England has had tremendous effects on how such relations have been perceived. Today it is typically assumed, for instance, that the development of business relations weakened the spirit of cooperation that characterized village communities and encouraged a spirit of individualism and self-betterment that ran counter to community interest.
However, such a view fails to account for the language that people in early modern England used to articulate their understanding of business relations, language that stressed credit, trust, obligations, and contracts, rather than self-interest. Throughout this period, most business transactions were conducted on credit – of plain dealing and of the keeping of promises – dominated the way in which business relations were conceived. Individual profit and solvency were important, but neither could be achieved without the trust and direct cooperation of one’s neighbours. As a result, buying and selling, far from breaking up communities, actually created numerous bonds that held villages together.
It can be inferred that the author of the passage believes that economic historians whose views have been influenced by Adam Smith have failed to examine which of the following?
(a) The power of business relations to shape moral values and beliefs
(b) The significance of human nature in shaping economic developments and social structure
(c) The importance of village communities in determining the economic well-being of larger society
(d) The consequence of individual communities of changes in a country’s economic structure
(e) The actual language used to by people in village communities to refer to their business dealings
The OA is E
Could you confirm
a) if i can re-phrase the q as : economists who are pro Adam Smith economics, have failed to examine one thing ...what is that one thing ?
b) I was looking at the blue for the response to this question (as i believe the blue is the only place that talks negatively about Adam Smith economics) but i could not find anything in the blue for me to arrive at option E