Assertion (A): The government provides several essential services such as roads, bridges and schools even whe…

Question

Assertion (A): The government provides several essential services such as roads, bridges and schools even when they are not immediately profitable.
Reason (R): Private enterprises focus primarily on profit, and would not invest adequately in services that are necessary for public welfare but do not yield high returns.

Options:
(A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
(B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(C) A is true, but R is false.
(D) A is false, but R is true.

Accepted Answer

## Model Answer **(A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.** The government provides roads, bridges, schools etc. because private enterprises, driven by profit motive, will not invest in services that are necessary but do not yield high returns. ## Explanation The textbook (Chapter 2) clearly states: "There are several things needed by the society as a whole but which the private sector will not provide at a reasonable cost" — directly supporting both A and R. R correctly explains *why* the government steps in, making option (A) the right choice. Remember: for R to be the "correct explanation," it must directly justify the assertion, not just be independently true.

Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question