This makes sense.
Looking at what causative verbs are:
Causative Verbs in English: Let, Make, Have, Get, Help:
Causative verbs are ones that cause something else to happen.
Causative Verbs - Rules, Structure & List of Examples:
Causative verbs are verbs that indicate that one individual, object, or event causes another to do something.
I think it makes more sense to say that the thing that is caused to do something is the subject of what that thing is caused to do. “The thing that is caused to do something” suggests it receives the causing, so it kinda fits as the subject of the verb as well. Perhaps it plays both roles?
“They make smile” doesn’t make sense. “Smile” needs “me”. “They make me” isn’t complete either though. So this test doesn’t really differentiate between the two choices.
Question based analysis:
What happens? Make.
Who makes? They.
What do they make? Smile. They make someone smile. (Answer in itself doesn’t feel natural)
Who do they make smile? Me. (The question feels natural)
or
What do they make?: Me. They make me do something. (“Me” in itself feels more natural as an answer)
What do they make me do? Smile.
I’m not sure the question based analysis let me differentiate either.
I think I prefer this model:
43 min under “error correction”.