PrepTest 130, Section 3, Question 6
Elena: The best form of government is one(49 more words not shown)
Marsha's claim that it is(20 more words not shown)
- Aconcur with Elena's(9 more words not shown)
- Bsupport Marsha's unstated(18 more words not shown)
- Csuggest that the(15 more words not shown)
- Dsupport Marsha's unstated(14 more words not shown)
- Ereject Elena's conclusion(8 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
Elena's standard is about what citizens believe. She doesn't say that the best government actually gives people a voice; she says it makes them believe they have one. Those could come apart. A government might create a convincing impression of public influence while giving people little actual power.
I might prefer to judge a government by its results, such as people's quality of life or protection of their rights. But even if we accept Elena's chosen standard, why assume that democracy best satisfies it? Having a vote doesn't guarantee that every citizen feels influential, and a different system might successfully create that feeling.
What we’re looking for
Marsha points out that governments can manipulate citizens into believing they have a say. By Elena's own standard, those governments could become candidates for the title of best government too. Asked what her claim does, I'd call it a challenge to the way Elena uses her criterion, without treating it as a rejection of democracy itself.
Working the answers
- A
To concur is to agree. Marsha doesn't affirm that democracy is the best form of government; she introduces a problem with Elena's reason for thinking so. She might ultimately agree with Elena's conclusion, but agreement isn't the function of her statement here.
- B
Marsha doesn't endorse a deceptively democratic government as best. Her point is that Elena's criterion could favor such a government. Showing an awkward consequence of someone else's standard is different from adopting that consequence as your own preferred conclusion.
- CCorrect
Elena's premise says that producing the belief in public influence makes a government best. Marsha shows that other governments can produce that belief as well. The same standard could therefore support a competing conclusion about which form of government is best. This captures the challenge to Elena's reasoning without assigning Marsha a final ranking of governments.
- D
Being manipulated into a belief doesn't show that people seek only an appearance. They might want real influence and mistakenly think they have it. Marsha makes no claim that most people prefer the appearance of democracy to democracy itself.
- E
This goes too far. Marsha challenges the route to Elena's conclusion, but she doesn't say the conclusion is false. She could think democracy is best for another reason while objecting that Elena's stated reason also fits other systems.
More Role/Main Point questions
Learn the LSAT our way
Our platform drills Role/Main Point questions at your level and adjusts as you improve.