Question 10 (5 points) The author of this excerpt was- Every man, as long as he does not violate the laws of justice, is left perfectly free to pursue his own interests in his own way, and to bring both his industry work efforts and capital into com- petition with those of any other men or order of men. a Niccolo Machiavelli b Adam Smith C Karl Marx d Mao Zedong

## Step 1<br />The given excerpt discusses the concept of individual freedom and the pursuit of personal interests without violating the laws of justice. This concept aligns with the principles of laissez-faire capitalism and the invisible hand theory, which are key ideas in Adam Smith's economic philosophy.<br /><br />## Step 2<br />Adam Smith, a Scottish economist and philosopher, is best known for his work "The Wealth of Nations," published in 1776. In this work, he introduced the idea that individuals pursuing their own interests in a free market would lead to economic prosperity, a concept he referred to as the "invisible hand."<br /><br />## Step 3<br />The other options, Niccolo Machiavelli, Karl Marx, and Mao Zedong, are known for their contributions to political philosophy and economics, but their ideas do not align with the principles expressed in the excerpt. Niccolo Machiavelli was a Renaissance political philosopher known for his pragmatic approach to politics, as seen in "The Prince." Karl Marx and Mao Zedong were both socialists and communists, with Marx being the father of communism and Mao leading the Chinese Communist Revolution. Their views on economics and society are fundamentally different from the laissez-faire capitalism and individual in the excerpt.