Final answer:
The 1517 policy that affected ordinary people and was criticized by Luther was the sale of indulgences by the Catholic Church.
Step-by-step explanation:
The 1517 policy that affected ordinary people and was criticized by Martin Luther was the sale of indulgences by the Catholic Church.
Indulgences were certificates that promised the forgiveness of sins and reduced time in purgatory for both the living and the dead. In order to raise funds for the construction of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, Pope Leo X authorized the sale of these indulgences.
Luther criticized this practice in his Ninety-Five Theses, arguing that salvation could not be bought and that true repentance and faith were necessary for the forgiveness of sins.
Learn more about 1517 policy affecting ordinary people and Luther's criticism