LSAT Discussion Forum

Complete Question Explanation

The correct answer choice is (A).

Answer choice (A): This is the correct answer choice.

Answer choice (B):

Answer choice (C):

Answer choice (D):

Answer choice (E):

This explanation is still in progress. Please post any questions below!

Hi! Can someone please explain #11 for me? Also, I wasn't too sure how I should have understood the word 'defense" in the question stem. Does that refer to the passage as a whole, or a certain part of the passage? Thank you

Hi Lomatuwa!

The word "defense" refers to the passage as a whole, since the entire passage is concerned with summarizing and evaluating Dahl's (qualified) defense of polyarchies. Here, we're looking for something that Dahl assumed to be true as he was defending polyarchies.

Answer Choice (A) is correct, and support for this answer can be found in the first paragraph of the passage (democratic principles can't be fully realized) and around Line 50 (Western intellectuals demand more democracy from polyarchies than is possible). Both of these statements support the idea that polyarchies are limited!

(B) isn't an assumption that Dahl held. To the contrary, in Lines 8-9, the author writes that Dahl recognizes that hierarchical organizing in democracies is "inevitable."

(C) Also not an assumption that Dahl held! In Line 10, the author writes that "no society can guarantee perfect equality in the
resources" that allow for political influence.

(D) Although Lines 25-26 discuss polyarchies and party competition, there's no support for the idea that polyarchies are the best political system to foster party growth.

(E) The last few lines of the passage discuss the relationship between economics and politics, so this answer can't be right!

Hello Powerscore people,

I need help with this. I am getting worse at answering questions despite having more command of the passages. I knew what I was doing in this passage and had it down. I skipped over A because, in LR, I thought assumptions aren't stated? A is stated in the passage. He acknowledges there's no such thing as a perfect democracy because there will always be hierarchal governing and the resources available to citizens (to influence policy) are never equal. How is this an assumption if it's explicitly stated?

Hey PresidentLSAT,

So in logical reasoning, the term we use is assumption, and in logical reasoning the assumption is unstated. But in real life and in reading comp, assumptions can be stated. I can state that I assume you grew up in a suburban area, and that is a stated assumption.

Christen stated that above that answer choice A can be supported in line 50, and I agree. The author states that Dahl believes Polyarchies cannot handle a certain level of democracy. This is an assumption in the everyday sense. In logical reasoning we use a very specific definition of assumption that is an unstated assumption, usually a jump between a premise and a conclusion or somewhere between multiple premises and a conclusion that is unstated.

I 'm sorry for the confusion, and I'm sure that's frustrating. Continue posting on the forums and keep studying. If you understand the passages better, success in the questions should follow soon.

Good luck with everything and I wish you well.

Best,
Ryan

Thank you, Ryan