Read the passage below carefully:
In pre-colonial Yoruba society, market women's associations played a crucial role in maintaining economic stability and civic order within urban centers. Led by the Iyaloja, these trade guilds regulated market prices, resolved disputes among vendors, and ensured the steady supply of essential foodstuffs to growing town populations. Rather than operating purely as commercial networks, the associations functioned as political institutions capable of influencing royal decisions. When monarchs enacted policies that threatened local commerce or social welfare, the Iyaloja wielded significant leverage, often organizing boycotts or public demonstrations to demand administrative redress. Furthermore, these guilds financed community development projects and provided mutual aid to members during personal financial crises. While individual market women engaged in daily transactions to support their families, the collective body served as an indispensable pillar of municipal governance, bridging the gap between everyday citizens and the ruling elite.
Which of the following best expresses the main idea of the passage?
- Market women's associations in pre-colonial Yoruba society served as vital political and civic institutions that influenced governance and sustained economic stability.Cevap
- BThe Iyaloja headed trade guilds that primarily focused on regulating market prices and settling minor quarrels between local vendors.
- CPre-colonial Yoruba monarchs were entirely dependent on market guilds to finance royal estates and fund military campaigns.
- DIndividual market women operated strictly as private commercial traders who avoided involvement in public policy and civic affairs.