Final answer:
Businesses in the early 20th century justified their competitive practices using Social Darwinism and laissez-faire capitalism, ideologies that promoted survival of the fittest in business and minimal government intervention in the economy.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the early 20th century, businesses used a variety of ideologies to justify their practices in the market. Two key ideologies stood out as justifications for what some considered cut-throat business practices: Social Darwinism and laissez-faire capitalism. Social Darwinism applied Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection to business and society, suggesting that the survival of the fittest concept also determined which businesses would prosper. This ideology supported the view that without government intervention, only the most efficient and competitive businesses would survive, justifying the cutthroat competition and sometimes ruthless business tactics.
Meanwhile, laissez-faire economics emphasized the importance of a free market with minimal government intervention. The belief was that markets should operate freely, which would lead to the most efficient allocation of resources. Businesses often exploited this ideology to resist government regulation, arguing that it would lead to the most prosperous economic conditions. Together, these two ideologies formed the backbone of the argument for a pro-business environment with minimal government interference in the early 20th century.