Which of the following statements is an example of a normative statement related to British colonial taxation?

• A. The British Parliament passed several tax laws affecting the American colonies.
• B. The British government should have obtained the colonists' permission before passing taxes.
• C. The Stamp Act was enacted by the British in 1765.
• D. Colonial resistance to British taxes increased after 1765.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the difference between positive and normative statements. Positive statements describe facts or cause-and-effect relationships and can be tested or verified. Normative statements express opinions, values, or what ought to be and cannot be tested objectively.
2. Step 2: Review each statement to determine if it is positive (fact-based) or normative (opinion-based). For example, 'The British Parliament passed several tax laws affecting the American colonies' is a factual statement and thus positive.
3. Step 3: Identify the statement that expresses a value judgment or opinion about what should have happened. In this case, 'The British government should have obtained the colonists' permission before passing taxes' is normative because it expresses what ought to have been done.
4. Step 4: Confirm that the other statements are factual descriptions of historical events, such as 'The Stamp Act was enacted by the British in 1765' and 'Colonial resistance to British taxes increased after 1765,' both of which are positive statements.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the normative statement is the one expressing a recommendation or opinion about British colonial taxation policy, which is the statement about the government needing colonists' permission.