Discrimination is listed as a factor contributing to poverty.

• A. Discrimination
• B. High steel production
• C. Balanced budgets
• D. Open markets

Answer: (D)

Poverty is shaped by how the economy allocates opportunities and resources, not just by individual circumstances. Discrimination is a social barrier that can block people from education, jobs, and advancement, pushing some groups into poverty. But when we look at how entire economies operate, open markets describe a structural condition: when goods, services, and capital move freely across borders, competition can intensify and benefits may accrue mainly to those with capital, connections, or the ability to weather volatility. In such a system, workers with low skills or little bargaining power can face wage pressure, job displacement, and greater economic insecurity, helping explain why poverty persists as a result of economic structure as well as social barriers. So, in the context of factors contributing to poverty, open markets are highlighted as a way the broader economic setup can contribute to poverty, whereas discrimination is also a contributing factor but comes from social barriers that interact with how markets operate.