Two statements are given, one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R):
Assertion (A): Capitalism was marked by its static nature and the potential to grow from the very beginning.
Reason (R) : Western colonialism was inextricably connected to the growth of western capitalism.

(A) is false but (R) is true

The correct answer is Option 4: A is false but R is true.

Assertion (A): Capitalism was marked by its static nature and the potential to grow from the very beginning. — Incorrect. Capitalism is not characterised by a static nature. It is a dynamic economic system with the potential for continuous growth, expansion and transformation.

Reason (R): Western colonialism was inextricably connected to the growth of western capitalism. — Correct. Western colonialism and the growth of capitalism were deeply linked, as colonial expansion provided access to resources, markets and wealth that supported the expansion of Western capitalism.

NCERT: What marked capitalism from the very beginning was its dynamism (not static nature), its potential to grow, expand, innovate, use technology and labour in a way best assured to ensure greatest profit. What marked it too was its global nature. Western colonialism was inextricably connected to the growth of western capitalism. This had a lasting impact on the way capitalism developed in a colonised country like India.