Initialy I went with D, then after reading the discussion I returned back and I will keep A and D as contender and for some reason D weighs more...My reasoning as below
I can call it a background premise
Prior to 1971, the United States was on various forms of a gold standard through which the value of the dollar was backed by gold reserves and paper money could be redeemed for gold on demand. Since 1971, the United States dollar has been a fiat currency backed by "full faith and credit” of the government and not backed by, valued in, or convertible into gold.
Main Premise
A gold standard restricts the ability of government to print money at will and to spend more than it earns in tax revenue.
Additional Premise
Besides, the economy has historically performed best under a gold standard.
Main Conclusion
Therefore, for reasons above, the voters should vote for a party that backs the return of the gold standard in the country.The author says voters should vote for a party that backs the return of gold standard for two reasons
1) because gold standard restricts government ability to print money at will and to spend more than what it earns
2) the economy has historically performed best under a gold standard
There is an unstated assumption that policies post 1971 doesn't support the above 2....what will he require to support this conclusion?? certainly
the facts with respect to the above 2 points of post 1971.
.A "Major economic indicators of United States since 1980" will touch and reaffirm the additional premise.
D will touch and reaffirm the main premise.......They both can be the answers but since D touches the crux of the argument that is the main premise ....I will go with
D only
As for C, I guess we already know that government has printed money in proportion with its earning (can be GDP here), since its a very character of the gold standard and it was followed by the country....This point doesn't add anything
Which of the following data sets can be best used by the author of the above argument to further his conclusion?
A. Major economic indicators of United States since 1980
B. Expenditure on education and healthcare from 1960 to 2000
C. Money printed by the government as proportion of the Gross Domestic Product from 1950 to 1970
D. Growth in the difference between the revenue and expenditure figures for the government for the last 100 years beginning from 1901.
E. Economic growth in the country in 1971 and in 1972.
OA and OE will be posted after some initial discussion!
-Chiranjeev[/quote]
I welcome any criticism for my reasoning