To end both mass poverty and political uncertainty, the newly liberated…
2022
To end both mass poverty and political uncertainty, the newly liberated nations required economic development. Rapid economic growth was required not only to raise living standards, but also to sustain a spirit of national solidarity. Such was the broadly accepted consensus, which, however, admitted of variations in policies adopted or rejected by post-colonial governments. Where communists were in charge, there was a push to nationalise industries and eliminate private sector production units. In agriculture, family farms were discouraged. Yet even in non-communist countries the state assumed a pre-dominant role in industrial production. Yet agriculture remained in private hands. Some countries left feudal systems of landholding intact; others gave ownership rights to tenants or sharecroppers. There were also variations on the question of international trade and capital flows. Some countries rigorously protected their own industries from external competition, erecting high tariff barriers. Others adopted a more flexible trade regime, selectively permitting foreign goods and capital into their territory. An important factor in the history of modern Asian nations is that of foreign policy. Countries governed by communist parties were allied with the Soviet Union, while other Asian countries allied with the United States. The latter were attracted by Western financial and technical aid. Yet other countries chose to strike out on a path of non-alignment, choosing not to closely identify with either the Russians or the Americans.
The post-colonial governments preferred?
Answer: B. Broad policy consensus — ConceptIn reading comprehension, the answer must follow the passage’s explicit central claim. A broad consensus is a shared general aim; it can coexist with…
- A.
Political uncertainty
- B.
Broad policy consensus
- C.
International trade
- D.
Rigorous external competition
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Concept
In reading comprehension, the answer must follow the passage’s explicit central claim. A broad consensus is a shared general aim; it can coexist with differences in the specific policies used to pursue that aim.
Application
The passage says that newly liberated nations generally accepted rapid economic development as necessary to reduce poverty, improve living standards, and sustain national solidarity. It then explains that post-colonial governments differed in industrial, agricultural, trade, and foreign policies. Thus, their common preference was the broad policy consensus, while the detailed policies varied.
Contrast
Political uncertainty is presented as a problem that development was intended to end, not as a policy preference.
International trade is one policy area on which countries adopted different approaches, so it was not the single shared preference.
Rigorous external competition is not described as a common preference; some countries instead protected domestic industries with high tariffs.
Cross-check
Substituting “broad policy consensus” into the question matches the passage’s explicit statement about a broadly accepted consensus. The other choices are either a problem to be removed or policy areas where national approaches differed.
Result
Therefore, the post-colonial governments preferred broad policy consensus.