One of the principal themes of Walzer’s critique of liberal capitalism

Question

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Passage # 155 Date: 17-Jun-2020
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1993 02 SECTION A 21-27

One of the principal themes of Walzer’s critique of liberal capitalism is that it is insufficiently egalitarian. Walzer’s case against the economic inequality generated by capitalism and in favor of “a radical redistribution of wealth” is presented in a widely cited essay entitled “In Defense of Equality.” The most striking feature of Walzer’s critique is that, far from rejecting the principle of reward according to merit, Walzer insists on its validity. People who excel should receive the superior benefits appropriate to their excellence. But people exhibit a great variety of qualities—“intelligence, physical strength, agility and grace, artistic creativity, mechanical skill, leadership, endurance, memory, psychological insight, the capacity for hard work—even moral strength, sensitivity, the ability to express compassion.” Each deserves its proper recompense, and hence a proper distribution of material goods should reflect human differences as measured on all these different scales. Yet, under capitalism, the ability to make money (“the green thumb of bourgeois society”) enables its possessor to acquire almost “every other sort of social good,” such as the respect and esteem of others.

The centerpiece of Walzer’s argument is the invocation of a quotation from Pascal’s Pensees, which concludes: “Tyranny is the wish to obtain by one means what can only be had by another.” Pascal believes that  we owe different duties to different qualities . So we might say that infatuation is the proper response to charm, and awe the proper response to strength. In this light, Walzer characterizes capitalism as the tyranny of money (or of the ability to make it). And Walzer advocates as the means of eliminating this tyranny and of restoring genuine equality “the abolition of the power of money outside its sphere.” What Walzer envisions is a society in which wealth is no longer convertible into social goods with which it has no intrinsic connection.

Walzer’s argument is a puzzling one. After all, why should those qualities unrelated to the production of material goods be rewarded with material goods? Is it not tyrannical, in Pascal’s sense, to insist that those who excel in “sensitivity” or “the ability to express compassion” merit equal wealth with those who excel in qualities (such as “the capacity for hard work”) essential in producing wealth? Yet Walzer’s argument, however deficient, does point to one of the most serious weaknesses of capitalism—namely, that it brings to predominant positions in a society people who, no matter how legitimately they have earned their material rewards, often lack those other qualities that evoke affection or admiration. Some even argue plausibly that this weakness may be irremediable: in any society that, like a capitalist society, seeks to become ever wealthier in material terms disproportionate rewards are bound to flow to the people who are instrumental in producing the increase in its wealth.   1 
 1. ​​The primary purpose of the passage is to

(A) argue that Walzer’s critique of liberal capitalism is the cornerstone of Walzer’s thinking
(B) identify and to deprecate the origins of the intellectual tradition championed by Walzer
(C) present more clearly than does the essay “In Defense of Equality” the distinctive features of Walzer’s politico-economic theories
(D) demonstrate that Walzer’s critique of liberal capitalism is neither original nor persuasive
(E) outline and to examine critically Walzer’s position on economic equality

2 
 2. ​The author mentions all of the following as issues addressed by Walzer EXCEPT:

(A) proper recompense for individual excellence
(B) proper interpretation of “economic equality”
(C) proper level of a society’s wealth
(D) grounds for calling capitalism “the tyranny of money”
(E) exchangeability of money for social goods

3 
 3. ​​​​​​The passage provides sufficient information to answer which of the following questions?

(A) What weight in relation to other qualities should a quality like sensitivity have, according to Walzer, in determining the proper distribution of goods?
(B) Which quality does Walzer deem too highly valued under liberal capitalism?
(C) Which are the social goods that are, according to Walzer, outside the reach of the power of money?
(D) What practical steps does Walzer suggest be taken to relieve the economic inequality generated by capitalism?
(E) What deficiencies in Walzer’s own argument does Walzer acknowledge?

4 
 4. ​​The author implies that Walzer’s interpretation of the principle of reward according to merit is distinctive for its

(A) insistence on maximizing everyone’s rewards
(B) emphasis on equality
(C) proven validity
(D) broad conception of what constitutes merit
(E) broad conception of what constitutes a reward

5 
 5. ​​​The author’s interpretation of the principle that “we owe different duties to different qualities” ( Highlighted ) suggests that which of the following would most probably be the duty paired with the quality of veracity?

(A) Dignity
(B) Trust
(C) Affection
(D) Obedience
(E) Integrity

6 
 6. ​​​The author implies that sensitivity is not a quality that

(A) is essential in producing wealth
(B) wealthy people lack
(C) can be sensibly measured on a scale
(D) characterizes tyrannical people
(E) is owed a duty in Pascal’s sense

7 
 7. The argumentation in the passage turns importantly on the question of what should be the proper relation between

(A) “liberal capitalism” (line 2) and “bourgeois society” (lines 20-21)
(B) “reward” (line 8) and “recompense” (line 17)
(C) “sensitivity” (line 15) and “the ability to express compassion” (lines 15-16)
(D) “distribution of material goods” (lines 17-18) and “redistribution of wealth” (lines 4-5)
(E) “social goods” (line 37) and “material goods” (line 41)

Apeksha55 · Answer

How answer for question 7 is (E) “social goods” (line 37) and “material goods” (line 41)? I thought the main argument and question was 
 "Is it not tyrannical, in Pascal’s sense, to insist that those who excel in “sensitivity” or “the ability to express compassion” merit equal wealth with those who excel in qualities (such as “the capacity for hard work”) essential in producing wealth? "

TarPhi · Answer

SajjadAhmad , can you post the OAs for all questions?

I'm confused about Q7 myself. I chose E but thought it should be B!

bM22 · Answer

Hi  TarPhi ,  Apeksha55

7. The argumentation in the passage turns importantly on the question of what should be the proper relation between

(A) “liberal capitalism” (line 2) and “bourgeois society” (lines 20-21)
(B) “reward” (line 8) and “recompense” (line 17)
(C) “sensitivity” (line 15) and “the ability to express compassion” (lines 15-16)
(D) “distribution of material goods” (lines 17-18) and “redistribution of wealth” (lines 4-5)
(E) “social goods” (line 37) and “material goods” (line 41)

Correct Answer : E,
Explanation: As mentioned in the passage: "Pascal believes that we owe different duties to different qualities.............What Walzer envisions is a society in which wealth is no longer convertible into  social goods  with which it has no intrinsic connection. Walzer’s argument is a puzzling one. After all, why should those qualities unrelated to the production of  material goods  be rewarded with material goods?"
The above lines imply Option E, since through the above lines we can infer that Waltzer tries to compare the deserving criteria for social goods and material goods.

Option B is incorrect since the author uses "recompense" to imply rewards as mentioned in the passage: "Each deserves its proper recompense, and hence a proper distribution of material goods should reflect human differences as measured on all these different scales.", which is again the reward of material goods. So there is no proper relation between the two as such.

Also on reading the passage, we can infer that the Waltzer was mostly divided between criteria for distribution of social goods and material goods and that it should depend on the different qualities that people have and the different duties they perform.

Thus, making D an apt choice.

Hope this helps.
Thanks.

Krishchamp · Answer

Can some expert please explain the structure of passage and the primary purpose. I got the first 2 answers wrong. Really confusing passage!

bM22 · Answer

Hi  Krishchamp ,

I am not an expert, but would be glad to help you out. Let me know if this helps:

P1: Author discusses how Walzer views capitalism. Walzer is against the economic inequality caused by capitalism. He believes that people should receive benefits related to their excellence. He believes that depending on each quality a person may possess such as intelligence, hard work, memory, he/she deserves a different reward. Walzer pays more attention to the rationality of rewards. Thus, according to him, a proper distribution of wealth (material goods as mentioned in the passage) is supposed to reflect the human differences. But in a capitalist society, people who make more money, often get to collect all the wealth in the society including both material and social.

P2: The second para continues the discussion from the 1st, and puts forth Walzer's view where Walzer quotes from Pascal’s Pensees and defines capitalism as a tyranny of wealth, where certain people get what others deserve. He advocates how capitalism destroys equality and believes in restoring genuine equality by limiting wealth to wealth, and that an ideal society is one, where wealth is no longer convertible into social goods with which it has no intrinsic connection.

P3: This para points that Walzer's argument is difficult to understand,and supports the same by questioning as to why should the qualities unrelated to material goods be rewarded with material goods. Is not not tyranny. From Pascal's point of view, is it not wrong to reward different qualities as "sensitivity” or “the ability to express compassion" with the same material reward. Walzer's argument though inadequate points towards a serious flaw in capitalism, that a capitalist gives importance to such kind of people, regardless of their wealth. People who make more wealth often lack social qualities and people who are genuine, usually lack some or the other advantages. Some people this flaw to be irremediable, since in any society like a capitalist society, wanting to become wealthier is bound to cause disproportionate distribution of wealth.

Now coming to question 1: From the analysis of the passage above, we can say that the primary purpose of the passage, is to present and examine Walzer argument and his position on economic equality and capitalism.
Thus making option E as a correct answer.

Hope this Helps.
Thanks.

soumya170293 · Answer

For such a confusing passage , please send the OE (3,4 & 6 ) for questions  SajjadAhmad .

richirish · Answer

Very tricky passage, some questions are unlikely to appear on the GMAT, 6/7 - 12 mins. Happy to help folks if needed!

bM22 · Answer

Hi  soumya170293 ,

Would be glad to help you out, could you let me know specifically what are the issues that you are facing with the questions. Asking for OE's is not a good practice, it doesn't help us in understanding, as to what might be your doubt.

Thanks.

Naman_Agrawal · Answer

Can someone please explain question 3 and 6

Thanks 
N

emsgmat · Answer

From the passage: " Is it not tyrannical, in Pascal’s sense, to insist that those who excel in “sensitivity” or “the ability to express compassion” merit equal wealth with those who excel in qualities (such as “the capacity for hard work”) essential in producing wealth ? " Meaning: "the capacity for hard work" is essential in producing wealth but "sensitivity" is not. Hence, the answer is A .

Hoozan · Answer

Vinit800HBS  please could you help me with Q4. I confused with (D) and (E)

alizakhatoon · Answer

please explain 5th question

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

5. ​​​The author’s interpretation of the principle that “we owe different duties to different qualities” (Highlighted) suggests that which of the following would most probably be the duty paired with the quality of veracity?

Difficulty Level:   700

Hello alizakhatoon

This looks more or less like a GRE question, If one knows the meaning of veracity the question becomes a bit easy. I also google to know the meaning of the same. But once I found it I chose the correct answer.

The meaning of the word  "veracity"  is  "conformity to facts; accuracy"

Question refer the following text from the passage:

Pascal  believes  that  "we owe different duties to different qualities" . So we might say that infatuation is the proper response to charm.

The question also asks: which of the following would most probably be the duty paired with the quality of veracity?

So the quality of veracity only comes with Facts, Knowledge, or trust.

Hence  (B)  is the only possible answer.

PS: Understanding the requirement of the question is crucial here but nevertheless this question is hard.

ghjhlkjgfghjkl · Answer

i am not sure what the author means by "social goods." i thought it is similar to material goods, which all means things that are produced or sold, or in other words, they are all in material forms. But in this sense, the answer of Q3 does not make sense, so i am wondering is the "social goods" refers to merits in English. i am not a native speaker, so if i made any mistake or the question is dumb, please excuse me

ninja_in_progress · Answer

Can anyone share explanation for Question 3 - specifically the option D

One of the principal themes of Walzer’s critique of liberal capitalism

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One of the principal themes of Walzer’s critique of liberal capitalism

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