Final answer:
A horticultural or pastoral economy mixed with hunting and gathering activities describes a subsistence economy. Horticultural societies are based on plant cultivation with simple tools, while pastoral societies raise and herd animals as their primary subsistence strategy.
Step-by-step explanation:
Horticultural or pastoral economies combined with hunting and gathering activities describe a form of subsistence economy. These are systems of producing and distributing goods that are directly used by their producers rather than traded in markets. Horticultural societies practice extensive horticulture, cultivating plants in gardens using hand tools. Pastoral societies take care of herd animals, using them as primary sources of food and for other needs; they often are nomadic or semi-nomadic. Some societies can exhibit a combination of these modes of subsistence, depending on environmental conditions and cultural practices.
Both horticultural and pastoral societies may have modest surpluses that can be used for trade or to support community specialists, but generally, they do not generate the significant surpluses seen in intensive agricultural societies. When societies begin to develop more intensive farming techniques, this can lead to an increase in surplus, specialization of labor, and sometimes the rise of more complex social structures and trade networks.