Questions: According to the excerpt, for which of the following reasons does Adam Smith critique contemporary imperial and colonial policies? Policies have been wrongly based on the idea that Britain must have total control over its colonies and trade in order to profit from them. British governments have been unwilling to use Britain's overwhelming military force to bring colonies into line. Colonies have cost British peoples and governments much more than they have benefited

The answer is: Policies have been wrongly based on the idea that Britain must have total control over its colonies and trade in order to profit from them.

Adam Smith, in his critique of imperial and colonial policies, often argued against the mercantilist belief that a nation must exert total control over its colonies and trade to ensure economic benefit. He believed that such policies were misguided and that free trade would be more beneficial for all parties involved.

This option does not align with Adam Smith's typical critiques. Smith was more concerned with the economic inefficiencies and moral issues of colonial policies rather than a lack of military enforcement.

While Adam Smith did argue that the economic benefits of colonies were often overstated and that the costs could outweigh the benefits, the primary critique in the context of the excerpt is likely focused on the flawed economic policies rather than just the cost-benefit analysis.