The inability to decide on a course of action because of disagreement among equally powerful decision makers.

• A. Annexation
• B. Mercantilism
• C. Migration
• D. Political deadlock

Answer: (D)

The main idea is political deadlock: when several decision makers have equal power and can’t agree on a course of action, progress stops and nothing gets decided. This happens in governments or committees where each side has veto power or there isn’t a clear majority, so disagreement prevents taking action. In this situation, decisions stall because no side can force its view.

Mercantilism, annexation, and migration describe other concepts—an economic theory about how a country builds wealth (mercantilism), adding new territory (annexation), or the movement of people from one place to another (migration). They don’t capture the idea of a stalemate caused by equally powerful groups unable to reach a decision.