Read the underlined text. What is Paine referring to in this sentence?

explanation:

ad the excerpt and i will gladly answer

the right answer for the question that is being asked and shown above is that: "their policy of "divide and rule" pitted political groups against each other to keep any one group from becoming too powerful.  " the  participant in european imperialism is being described below is that  their policy of "divide and rule" pitted political groups against each other to keep any one group from becoming too powerful. 

hello answer is b i hope that helepd.

companies passed on production and transportation costs to consumers