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Identify which Enlightenment thinker is best applies to each quote. Choose from the following:

"The government has no right to create a national health care system – they are only getting in the way of economic growth. They should just leave us alone".
a. J. Locke, Voltaire
b. T. Hobbes
c. S. Montesquieu
d. Beccaria
e. Adam Smith

User Dimich
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Final answer:

The Enlightenment thinker referenced in the quote is Adam Smith, who promoted the concept of economic liberty and minimal government intervention in the market.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Enlightenment thinker that the quote best aligns with is e. Adam Smith. The stance that the government should not interfere with economic growth and should leave individuals to their own devices is closely related to Adam Smith's economic ideas. Smith advocated for economic freedom, which he considered necessary for prosperity, and his thoughts have greatly influenced the concept of a free-market economy.

Smith is well known for his book, 'The Wealth of Nations,' where he elaborates on the idea of the 'invisible hand' of the market. This metaphor describes how individuals' pursuit of their own self-interests inadvertently benefits society as a whole, as if guided by an invisible hand, leading to economic growth and development. Adam Smith believed that when governments do not interfere with individuals' economic decisions, markets are more efficient, and thus, the creation of a national healthcare system would be seen as governmental overreach in Smith's view.

User Zabbala
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