1. What factors caused American business to develop into a mixed economic system rather than some other type of economic system? Mixed economy is an economy that exhibits elements of both capitalism and socialism. The US economy is a mixed economy. The four basic economic questions: what, how, for whom, and who; are answered through the interaction of: households, businesses, and governments. 2. Does an individual consumer really have a voice in answering the basic four economic questions described on page 14 ? Yes. 3. Is gross domestic product a reliable indicator of a nation's economic health? What might be a better indicator? Gross domestic product is the total dollar value of all goods and services produced by all people within the boundaries of a country during a specified time period. A system that measures only those goods and services that contribute directly to the standard of living of the nations' citizens might be better. 1. What factors caused American business to develop into a mixed economic system rather than some other type of economic system? Mixed economy is an economy that exhibits elements of both capitalism and socialism. The US economy is a mixed economy. The four basic economic questions: what, how, for whom, and who; are answered through the interaction of: households, businesses, and governments. 2. Does an individual consumer really have a voice in answering the basic four economic questions described on page 14 ? Yes. 3. Is gross domestic product a reliable indicator of a nation's economic health? What might be a better indicator? Gross domestic product is the total dollar value of all goods and services produced by all people within the boundaries of a country during a specified time period. A system that measures only those goods and services that contribute directly to the standard of living of the nations' citizens might be better