LSAT Explanation PT 43, S3, Q12: Some argue that because attaining governmental

LSAT Question Stem

Which one of the following is an assumption required by the argument? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Necessary Assumption question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is C. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

First, let's summarize and analyze the argument in the passage. The passage begins with a viewpoint that some people believe it is a necessary evil for policymakers in democracies to shift policies and not adhere rigorously to principles in order to build majority coalitions and maintain power. However, the author disagrees with this view and concludes that this behavior is actually more of a benefit than an evil, as it allows a democracy to adapt more easily to serve public interests.

In the argument, we can identify the following parts:

- Premise: Some people argue that policymakers in democracies need to shift policies and not adhere rigorously to principles to build majority coalitions and maintain power.

- Conclusion: The author believes that this behavior is more of a benefit than an evil, as it allows a democracy to adapt more easily to serve public interests.

An "Evaluate" question for this argument could be: "Does the adaptability of policymakers in a democracy to serve public interests outweigh the potential negative effects of not adhering strictly to principles?"

Now let's discuss the question type of the problem and what it's asking us to do. The question type is a Necessary Assumption, and we are asked to identify the assumption required by the argument.

Let's go through each answer choice:

a) Government policymakers cannot retain power if they ignore any of the various factions of their original winning coalition.

- This answer choice is incorrect because the passage states that policymakers "shift policies as they try to please different constituents at different times." This implies that they can constantly realign coalitions and retain power as long as they enjoy majority support.

b) Democracies are more likely than nondemocratic forms of government to have policymakers who understand the complexity of governmental issues.

- This answer choice is incorrect because the stimulus does not discuss nondemocratic forms of government and does not depend on a comparison between democratic policymakers and nondemocratic policymakers. Such a comparison has no impact on the validity of the author’s conclusion.

c) In the formulation of government policy, the advantage conferred by adaptability to diverse or fluctuating public interests outweighs the detriment associated with a lack of strict fidelity to principle.

- This answer choice is correct because the author assumes that the benefits of adaptability outweigh any associated detriments. If this were not true, the conclusion would be invalid. Since the conclusion depends on the veracity of this assumption, this answer choice is correct.

d) In dealing with an important issue, policymakers in a democracy appeal to a principle in dealing with an issue only when that principle has majority support.

- This answer choice is incorrect because the conclusion does not rest upon the assumption that policymakers can sometimes behave consistently with both of these positions. This assumption is not required by the argument.

e) Democracies appear to be more flexible than nondemocratic forms of government, but are not actually so.

- This answer choice is incorrect because, like answer choice (B), it discusses nondemocratic forms of government. Since the stimulus does not address these forms of government, it is not necessary to assume that they are actually more flexible than democratic forms of government.

In conclusion, the correct answer choice is (C), as it identifies the necessary assumption that the advantage conferred by adaptability to diverse or fluctuating public interests outweighs the detriment associated with a lack of strict fidelity to principle.