Question

John Green questions whether "states government and the funny hatted people who rule them are the real movers and shakers in history" . He ends the video by claiming, "it's almost as if the merchants decide where the people with funny hats go , rather than the other way around" . What evidence does he give to support this position?​

A) He argues that governments often make decisions without considering the interests of merchants.
B) He highlights how merchants have historically funded and influenced political decisions.
C) He demonstrates that the rulers with funny hats always dictate trade policies.
D) He presents examples of governments ignoring merchants' input entirely

Answer 1

John Green suggests merchants have historically had significant influence over political decisions and events, which is supported by evidence of merchants funding imperial expansion and shaping regulations to favor their interests.

Step-by-step explanation:

John Green seems to suggest that merchants and economic forces have played a vital role in shaping historical events, sometimes even more so than the governments or rulers themselves. This position aligns with evidence that throughout history, merchants have indeed influenced political decisions, supported imperial expansion, and shaped policies and regulations to favor their interests. Specifically, the connection between politics and finance shows that merchants were not passive actors in the economy; rather, they actively sought to influence government to align with their own goals, alluding to the idea that economic interests often directed the actions of those in power.

As mentioned, during times of imperialism, the funding and support for expansion and even armies were connected to the spread of capitalism, and the merchants behind these economic drives had significant sway in political decisions. Additionally, we have examples like the East India Company's role in events leading up to the American Revolution, which indicate that economic entities could indeed have profound historical consequences, potentially shaping the course of events through their actions.