In an economic organization, allowing mankind to benefit by the productivity of machines should lead to a very good life of leisure, and much leisure is apt to be tedious except to those who have intelligent activities and interests. If a leisured population is to be happy, it must be an educated population, and must be educated with a view to enjoyment as well as to the direct usefulness of technical knowledge. Which of the following statements best reflects the underlying tone of the passage?

The passage argues that while machines can create leisure, leisure itself can be tedious unless people have intelligent activities and interests. It then states that for a leisured population to be happy, it must be educated, and this education should be for enjoyment as well as practical knowledge.

Analyzing the options:

A) Only an educated population can best make use of the benefits of economic progress. This is too broad. The passage specifically links education to the happiness derived from leisure, not to all benefits of economic progress.

B) All economic development should be aimed at the creation of leisure. The passage suggests leisure is a desirable outcome of machine productivity, but it does not state that all economic development should solely aim at leisure.

C) An increase in the educated population of a country leads to an increase in the happiness of its people. This statement best reflects the underlying tone. The passage explicitly says, "If a leisured population is to be happy, it must be an educated population." This establishes a direct link between education and happiness, especially in a society with the potential for more leisure. The overall message is that education is crucial for a fulfilling and happy life, particularly when material needs are met and leisure is available.

D) Use of machines should be encouraged in order to create a large leisured population. While machines are the means to leisure, the passage's primary focus is not on encouraging machine use but on what is needed to make the resulting leisure enjoyable and lead to happiness (i.e., education).