The correct answer is: "economic policy affecting business".
In fact, during the 1890s the laissez-faire economic approach that supports markets acting alone, started to be limited through goverment interventionism for the establishment and design of a mixed economic system, in which policymakers can exercise certain a degree of control over private businesses through the enactment of regulations and setting norms.
Correct answer: economic policy affecting business
Further detail:
The terminology of "laissez-faire" has been used in economics since the 18th century Enlightenment era. "Laissez-faire" is French for "let do." You can think of it as letting the economy do its own thing, without governments trying to interfere with it or control it. This was an idea promoted by the Physiocrats in 18th century France. They called themselves "Physiocrats" (those who believed in "rule by nature") because they thought trade and commerce should be allowed to proceed naturally.
The Scottish philosopher Adam Smith picked up on this idea also and promoted a capitalist economy in opposition to what he called a "mercantilist" economy where governments gave monopolies to certain merchants and tried to control business affairs.
The 1890s approach in America meant a pro-business stance by the government, wanting to get government out of the way of businesses and free them of regulations.
