Question

Pre-literate economy was characterized by :

• A. Consumption
• B. Acquisition and consumption
• C. Production
• D. Acquisition

Hint:

Pre-literate economies were subsistence-oriented. Resources were mainly acquired and immediately consumed rather than produced for large-scale markets.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept: Pre-literate societies are societies without written language. Their economies were generally simple and subsistence-oriented. The economy of pre-literate societies focused mainly on:
• Acquisition of resources,
• Immediate consumption,
• Limited surplus production,
• Subsistence activities. Economic activities were closely linked with survival rather than market-oriented production.

Step 1: Understanding pre-literate economy. A pre-literate economy is generally associated with:
• Hunting,
• Gathering,
• Fishing,
• Simple horticulture,
• Pastoralism. The primary goal was: \[ \text{Meeting immediate needs of the community} \] Thus:
• Goods were acquired,
• Goods were consumed directly,
• Large-scale storage or industrial production was limited.

Step 2: Understanding the role of acquisition. Acquisition refers to obtaining resources through:
• Hunting,
• Gathering,
• Exchange,
• Fishing,
• Cultivation. This was an essential part of pre-literate economies.

Step 3: Understanding the role of consumption. Consumption was equally important because:
• Resources were used immediately,
• Subsistence was the primary objective,
• Surplus accumulation remained limited. Therefore, both acquisition and consumption formed the core characteristics of pre-literate economy.

Step 4: Analyzing the options carefully. Option (A): \[ \text{Consumption only} \] Incomplete because acquisition is also essential. Hence, incorrect. Option (C): \[ \text{Production only} \] Production existed but was not the defining feature. Hence, incorrect. Option (D): \[ \text{Acquisition only} \] Incomplete because acquired goods were mainly consumed directly. Thus, incorrect.

Step 5: Final conclusion. Since pre-literate economy was characterized by both acquisition and consumption, the correct answer becomes: \[ \boxed{\text{(B) Acquisition and consumption}} \]