LSAT Explanation PT 40, S1, Q16: In countries where government officials are

LSAT Question Stem

Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Necessary Assumption question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is D. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

First, let's analyze the argument in the passage and identify its structure. The argument can be broken down into the following premises and conclusion:

Premise 1: In countries without free elections and free press, citizens have no role in creating policies that control their lives.

Premise 2: When people do not understand the purpose of restrictions placed on their behavior, they have a greater tendency to engage in civil disorder.

Conclusion: Countries without free elections and free press are prone to civil disorder.

Now, let's create an "Evaluate" question for this argument: "Do people need to participate in creating policies to understand the purpose of restrictions?"

The question type for this problem is Necessary Assumption, and we are asked to identify the assumption on which the argument depends. Let's examine each answer choice:

a) People who have had a role in making the laws that govern their own behavior act more rationally than those who have not.

This answer choice introduces the idea of acting rationally, which is not relevant to the argument. The argument focuses on understanding restrictions and engaging in civil disorder, not rational behavior. Therefore, this answer choice is incorrect.

b) A free press is better able to convey to citizens the purpose of government policy than is a press controlled by the government.

While this answer choice may strengthen the link between the premises, it is not necessary for the conclusion to be true. The argument does not depend on the relative ability of a free press to convey the purpose of government policy. This answer choice is incorrect.

c) Civil disorder cannot be prevented by security forces alone, however great the powers granted them by the government.

This answer choice is not relevant to the argument, as it discusses the prevention of civil disorder by security forces. The argument focuses on the factors that make countries more prone to civil disorder, not the prevention methods. Therefore, this answer choice is incorrect.

d) People tend not to understand the purpose of restrictions unless they participate in their formulation.

This answer choice is correct. It bridges the gap between the premises and the conclusion, making the implicit assumption that if people did not participate in creating the restrictions, they have no understanding of these restrictions. This assumption is necessary for the conclusion to be valid.

e) Civil disorder does not generally occur in countries that have either free elections or a free press.

This answer choice is not an assumption upon which the argument depends. It resembles a Mistaken Negation of the conclusion and does not address the connection between the premises and the conclusion. Therefore, this answer choice is incorrect.

In summary, the correct answer choice is (d), as it is the necessary assumption on which the argument depends.