Any government practice that might facilitate the abuse of power shoul

Question

Any government practice that might facilitate the abuse of power should not be undertaken except in cases in which there is a compelling reason to do so. The keeping of government secrets is one such practice. Though government officials are sometimes justified in keeping secrets, too often they keep secrets for insubstantial reasons, and in so doing they wind up enabling abuses of power. When government officials conceal from the public the very fact that they are keeping a secret, this practice opens up even greater opportunity for abuse.

Which one of the following can be properly inferred from the statements above?

A. In most cases in which government officials conceal information from the public, they are not justified in doing so.
B. In those cases, in which government officials have a compelling reason to keep a secret, doing so does not facilitate an abuse of power
C. A government official who justifiably keeps a secret should not conceal its existence without having a compelling reason to do so.
D. Government officials who conceal information without a compelling reason are thereby guilty of an abuse of power.
E. Government officials should keep information secret only if doing so does not make it easier for those officials to abuse their power.

siddhantvarma · Answer

The argument discusses government secrecy and the potential for abuse of power. It notes that while government officials can be justified in keeping secrets, too often they do so for insubstantial reasons, which can facilitate abuse of power. Additionally, concealing the very fact that secrets are being kept creates even greater potential for abuse. The correct inference will reflect the principles outlined in the argument.

(A) In most cases in which government officials conceal information from the public, they are not justified in doing so.  
The passage does not make a claim about most cases; it simply says officials "too often" keep secrets for insubstantial reasons. This does not necessarily imply that most cases are unjustified.

(B) In those cases, in which government officials have a compelling reason to keep a secret, doing so does not facilitate an abuse of power.  
The passage suggests that secrecy in itself creates an opportunity for abuse, even when there might be a compelling reason. The passage does not claim that justified secrecy completely eliminates the risk of abuse.

(C) A government official who justifiably keeps a secret should not conceal its existence without having a compelling reason to do so.  
This is a strong inference based on the passage. The passage implies that officials should avoid concealing the fact that they are keeping a secret, unless there is a compelling reason. It states that concealing the existence of a secret increases the potential for abuse, so a compelling reason would be necessary to justify this practice.

(D) Government officials who conceal information without a compelling reason are thereby guilty of an abuse of power.  
The passage suggests that such actions facilitate abuse of power but does not state that officials are automatically guilty of abuse whenever they conceal information without a compelling reason.

(E) Government officials should keep information secret only if doing so does not make it easier for those officials to abuse their power.  
The passage does not claim that secrecy should be avoided entirely if it facilitates abuse; instead, it argues that there should be a compelling reason to justify secrecy, acknowledging that abuse of power may still be a risk.

Correct Answer: (C).  
This statement aligns with the passage's assertion that officials should not conceal the existence of secrets unless they have a compelling reason to do so, as such concealment increases the risk of abuse.

VerbalBot · Answer

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Any government practice that might facilitate the abuse of power shoul

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Any government practice that might facilitate the abuse of power shoul

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