Question 6
Sidmehra wrote:
Hi GMATNinjaTwo
In question 6 options A and D both represent the thought of the author as to why Pocock's theory was not plausible enough.
If Americans did believe in the ideals of classical virtue that stressed civic duty and made the whole community greater than its discrete parts, then why did the colonists lack a sense of obligation to support the greater good of the British Empire? If indeed America has not always been the society of individual rights and self-interest that it is today, how and when did it be come so?
How is A correct ?
Both (A) and (D) relate to information in the passage, but as usual, the exact language of each option has a significant impact on the meaning of the answer choice.
Take another look at (D):
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(D) Why many colonists who embraced classical republicanism were reluctant to place their individual interests above those of Great Britain
Remember, classical republicans regarded those who "are willing to sacrifice their individual interests for the sake of the community" as virtuous. Would these people be
reluctant to place their individual interests above those of Great Britain? Not if they were truly classical republicans!
The author actually demands the answer to the
opposite question in the passage: "If Americans did believe in the ideals of classical virtue that stressed civic duty and made the whole community greater than its discrete parts, then why did the colonists lack a sense of obligation to support the greater good of the British Empire?" In other words, why were these colonists not concerned about ditching their classical republican ideals and failing to support Great Britain?
Because the supposedly classical republican colonists were not
reluctant to place their individual interests above those of Great Britain, the answer to (D) would not make Pocock's argument more plausible. For this reason, (D) is out.
Compare that with (A):
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(A) How a society that was once committed to the ideals of classical virtue could be transformed into a society of individual rights and self-interest
In the passage, the author asks "If indeed America has not always been the society of individual rights and self-interest that it is today, how and when did it become so?"
This aligns closely with the language of (A) -- both ask Pocock to explain the America's transformation to a self-interested society if indeed it was a classically republican society in the 18th century. (A) is the correct answer.
Question #7
Parhikrit wrote:
Can anyone please explain question 7?
Thanks in advance
Posted from my mobile deviceThe best way to go about question #7 is to examine the question and then use POE on the answer choices.
To answer the question, we are looking for something that Pocock's theory suggests about 18th century Americans. Pocock believed that American society at this time was shaped by classical republicanism -- so, what would these classically republican Americans believe about increasing commercial activity? Would it:
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(A) force the landed gentry to relinquish their vast holdings
There is no support in the passage for this answer choice. "Landed gentry" are mentioned near the end of the passage, but nowhere does the author imply that classical republicans believed that increasing commercial activity would somehow force the gentry to give up their land. (A) is out.
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(B) enrich the nation and increase individual rights
Classical republicans saw commerce as "the greatest enemy of virtue." So, commerce is not seen in a positive light at all, and increasing commercial activity was not seen as a way to "enrich the nation." (B) is out.
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(C) cause some people to forfeit their liberty and virtue
Here is what the passage says about liberty, virtue, and commerce in the eyes of classical republicans:
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Liberty was interpreted as a condition that is realized when people are virtuous and are willing to sacrifice their individual interests for the sake of the community. To be completely virtuous, people had to be independent and free of the petty interests of the marketplace. The greatest enemy of virtue was commerce.
So, what would happen with
increasing commercial activity?
- "The greatest enemy of virtue was commerce," so increasing commercial activity would make it more difficult to be virtuous.
- "Liberty... is realized when people are virtuous," so if it is more difficult to be virtuous, then it is less likely that people would have liberty.
In all, classical republicans believed that increasing commercial activity would decrease the number of people who were virtuous and therefore had liberty. Let's keep (C) for now.
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(D) create a mood of optimism about national prosperity
Nope. Classical republicans did not support increasing commercial activity, and optimism about national prosperity is mentioned in the last sentence of the passage to describe how Americans were actually
not classical republicans. (D) is out.
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(E) strengthen the political appeal of middle-class radicals
The passage does not imply that classical republicans connected increasing commercial activity with a strengthened appeal of middle class radicals.
(E) is out, and (C) is our answer.
I hope that helps!