With reference to “ideological bias”, the passage implies that
afree market is fair but not competent.
bfree market is not fair but competent.
cfree market is fair and competent.
dfree market is neither fair nor biased.
AnswerUPSC’s answer is (c).
The author says the defenders' reasoning shows a one-sided ideology resting on two assumptions: that a market left free of regulation treats people justly and works capably, and that people's self-seeking ends up serving society. So in the context of this bias, the free market is taken to be both fair and competent. The author presents this as bias, not as established fact.
Why each option is right or wrong
(a) Competence is assumed along with fairness.
(b) Fairness is assumed along with competence.
(c) Right. The biased assumption is that the market is both fair and competent.
(d) The bias lies in the defenders' arguments; the market is not assumed to be neither fair nor competent.
Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
