Question

passage 2 what is competition from the point of view of the workman? it is work put up to auction. a contractor wants a workman: three present themselves.—how much for your work?—half - a - crown; i have a wife and children.—well; and how much for yours?—two shillings; i have no children, but i have a wife.—very well; and now how much for you?—one and eightpence are enough for me; i am single.—then you shall have the work. it is done; the bargain is struck. and what are the other two workmen to do? it is to be hoped they will die quietly of hunger.... according to the political economists of the school of adam smith and leon say, cheapness is the word in which may be summed up the advantages of unlimited text cut off. which sentence best states two central ideas that support blanc’s argument in passage 2? some political economists argue that competition is a good thing, and others believe that it harms most people. private property limits poor people’s access to essential natural resources, and competition lowers their wages. individuals who are willing to work can work for money, and contractors can decide how much to pay them. middle class people make money by running small businesses, and poor people work for others for pay.

Explanation:

To find the sentence that best states two central ideas supporting Blanc’s argument, we analyze each option:

1. The first option talks about different views of political economists on competition but doesn't relate to Blanc’s argument about the impact on workers, so it's incorrect.
2. The second option: The passage shows that competition (where workers bid down their wages) and private property (implied in the context of the capitalist system) limit poor people's access to resources (like the ability to get work at a living wage) and lower wages (as seen in the wage - bidding example). This aligns with Blanc’s argument about the negative impact of competition on workers.
3. The third option describes the system of work and payment but doesn't support Blanc’s argument about the harm of competition, so it's incorrect.
4. The fourth option is about class - based work arrangements and not about the central ideas supporting Blanc’s argument about competition, so it's incorrect.

Answer:

Private property limits poor people’s access to essential natural resources, and competition lowers their wages.