Sentence Correction

During the past decade, the labor market in France has not been operating according to free market principles, but instead stifling functioning through its various government regulations restricting the hiring and firing of workers.


A] principles, but instead stifling functioning through its various government regulations restricting the hiring and firing of workers.

B] principles, instead it has been functioning in a stifled manner as a result of various government regulations that restrict the hiring and firing of workers.

C] principles, rather functioning despite being stifled as a result of government regulations that variously restrict worker hiring and firing.

D] principles; the hiring and firing of workers is restricted there by various government regulations, its functioning being stifled.

E] principles; instead, its functioning has been stifled by various government regulations restricting the hiring and firing of workers.



I got lost between options B and E. The OA is E.

Does instead represent a contrast?? yes. 'instead' is a co-ordinating conjunction or a subordinating conjunction. Because if it is any of the above then option E is wrong...

You cannot have a semi-colon and a conjunction both to join the two independent clauses.

Option B uses 'instead' correctly and hence the correct answer should be B but its not.

Option A is wrong because it uses two contrasting words at the same time 'but' and 'instead'.
Also option A changes the meaning of the sentence inferring that the labor market itself
draws out the government regulations.

Option C: use of again two contrasting words 'rather' and 'despite'. Also 'rather' is not the correct use in this particular sentence...

Option D: a run-on sentence and awkward construction and does not deliver the intended meaning in the sentence..;

Could somebody just help me whether my explanation is correct or not, especially between options B and E...

I feel option B should be the OA but it is not.. needed help...