"... (L)iberalism is a force truly of the spirit, a force proceeding from the deep realization that economic freedom cannot be s
acrificed if political freedom is to be preserved. [An expansion of the government’s role in the business world] would cramp and cripple the mental and spiritual energies of our people. It would extinguish equality and opportunity. It would dry up the spirit of liberty and progress... For a hundred and fifty years liberalism has found its true spirit in the American system, not in the European system." - Excerpt from President Hoover's speech "Rugged Individualism" 1928 where he addresses a warning about how to handle the Great Depression.
What is the MAIN purpose of this passage?
A) Europe has less economic freedom than the United States.
B) The spread of liberal ideas will continue to hurt political freedom.
C) If the government does not provide more jobs, the political freedoms in the United States. will no longer be preserved.
D) If the government becomes involved in the business world and acts as an employer, then individual incentives will diminish.
The answer is D) D) If the government becomes involved in the business world and acts as an employer, then individual incentives will diminish.
Explanation:
The MAIN purpose of this passage is to show that if the government becomes involved in the business world and acts as an employer than individual incentives will diminish. President Hoover believed that the government should not take expand its' role in the business world because that would lead to a stronger federal government that would be acting as a kind of dictatorship. He also believed that what made the United States great is its' ability to seek new opportunities and that more government assistance would take away those motivations.
