Final answer:
The U.S. government took action to decrease the dominance of trusts by enforcing stricter trust regulations, specifically through the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. This act empowered the government to break up corporations engaging in anti-competitive practices, reflecting the public demand for oversight and fair competition in the marketplace.
Step-by-step explanation:
The action taken by the U.S. government to decrease the number of trusts doing business in the United States was A) enforcing stricter trust regulations. This was accomplished through legislation such as the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, which gave the federal government the power to break up corporations that formed 'combinations in restraint of trade.' The law aimed to end the monopoly power of trusts by addressing unfair business practices and maintaining competition in the marketplace. Despite the claims of some businesses that prices had declined as the result of trusts, the necessity for government intervention was driven by public demand and the occurrence of unfair practices that were detrimental to a competitive economy. In the context of government and business relations, it's important to note that the federal government, alongside state governments, began to impose these regulations to curtail the influence of large corporations and to preserve market competition. Over time, government intervention has grown, with regulations affecting various aspects of starting and running a business, including zoning laws and the requirement of permits and fees.