It is paradoxical that the old countries involve themselves in the mos

Question

It is paradoxical that the old countries involve themselves in the most absurd complexities to prevent a shrinkage of their agricultural population and the new countries seem even more anxious to speed up the growth of the industrial population by artificial means. Much of this endeavor on the latter's part seems to be based on a rather naive fallacy of the post hoc ergo propter hoc variety: because historically the growth of wealth has regularly been accompanied by rapid industrialization, it is assumed that industrialization will bring about a more rapid growth of wealth. This involves a clear confusion of an intermediate effect with a cause. It is true that, as productivity per head increases as a result of investment in knowledge and skill, more and more of the additional output will be wanted in the form of industrial products. It is also true that a substantial increase in the production of food in those countries will require an increased supply of tools. But neither of these considerations alters the fact that if large-scale industrialization is to be the most rapid way of increasing average income, there must be an agricultural surplus available so that an industrial population can be fed. If unlimited amounts of capital were available and if the mere availability of sufficient capital could speedily change the knowledge and attitudes of an agricultural population, it might be sensible for such countries to impose a planned reconstruction of their economies on the model of the most advanced capitalist countries. This, however, is clearly not within the range of actual possibilities. It would seem, indeed, that if such countries as India and China are to effect a rapid rise in the standard of living, only a small portion of such capital as becomes available should be devoted to the creation of elaborate industrial equipment and perhaps none of it to the kind of highly automatized, 'capital-intensive' plants that are characteristic of countries where the value of labor is very high, and that these countries should aim at spreading such capital as widely and thinly as possible among those uses that will directly increase the production of food.

The essentially unpredictable developments that may be produced by the application of advanced technological knowledge to economies extremely poor in capital are more likely to be speeded up if opportunity for free development is provided than if a pattern is imposed which is borrowed from societies in which the proportion between capital and labor is altogether different from what it will be in the newer economies in the foreseeable future. However strong a case there may exist in such countries for the government's taking the initiative in providing examples and spending freely on spreading knowledge and education, it seems to me that the case against over-all planning and direction of all economic activity is even stronger there than in more advanced countries.

The essentially unpredictable developments that may be produced by the application of advanced technological knowledge to economies extremely poor in capital are more likely to be speeded up if opportunity for free development is provided than if a pattern is imposed which is borrowed from societies in which the proportion between capital and labor is altogether different from what it will be in the newer economies in the foreseeable future. However strong a case there may exist in such countries for the government's taking the initiative in providing examples and spending freely on spreading knowledge and education, it seems to me that the case against over-all planning and direction of all economic activity is even stronger there than in more advanced countries.    1 
 1. According to this passage, which term below describes the argument that industrialization will accelerate the growth of wealth?

A. illogical
B. probabilistic
C. possible
D. economic
E. deterministic

2 
 2. What does the author of this passage recommend in order to produce a rapid rise in standard of living in India and China?

A. direction of capital to the creation of industrial equipment
B. direction of capital to automated, capital-intensive plants
C. direction of capital to increased production of food
D. modeling of their economies on those of advanced capitalist countries
E. increased investment in knowledge and skill

3 
 3. Capital-intensive plants are characteristic of countries where

A. All economic activity is planned and directed.
B. Economies are poor in capital.
C. The value of labor is very high.
D. The value of labor is low.
E. Capital is spread thinly and widely.

4 
 4. The major objective of this passage is:

A. to argue that developing countries should increase productivity per head
B. to compare industrial/agricultural policies of developing countries to those of the most advanced countries
C. to argue against overall planning and direction of all economic activity in developing countries
D. to advocate management of proportion between capital and labor in developing countries
E. to link increased standard of living with increased industrialization

RC Butler 2022  -  Practice Two RC Passages Everyday.   
Passage # 234 Date: 10-Jun-2022
 This question is a part of RC Butler 2022 .  Click here for Details

Oppenheimer1945 · Answer

Sajjad1994 , why is A correct for Q1 ? Inverse Causal Relation?

Sweetiag · Answer

why A is correct option in ques 1

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

1. According to this passage, which term below describes the argument that industrialization will accelerate the growth of wealth?

Difficulty Level:   700

Explanation

The passage criticizes the belief that industrialization will automatically lead to an increase in wealth as illogical. It argues that this belief is based on a fallacy and confusion of an intermediate effect with a cause. The passage suggests that the argument for the direct relationship between industrialization and wealth growth is flawed, hence describing it as  "illogical."

Answer: A

Pranavsawant · Answer

Could someone explain question 4?  Sajjad1994 
Also what in the world does this mean: However strong a case there may exist in such countries for the government's taking the initiative in providing examples and spending freely on spreading knowledge and education, it seems to me that the case against over-all planning and direction of all economic activity is even stronger there than in more advanced countries. "All economic activity" spooked me a bit. Do they mean arguing for a case against over-all planning and direction of all economic activity towards industrialization? Cause then that makes sense. Otherwise, it just feels like a goofy sentence.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

4. The major objective of this passage is:

Explanation

The passage discusses the paradoxical approaches of  "old countries"  (likely developed) and  "new countries"  (likely developing) regarding their agricultural and industrial populations. It criticizes the naive fallacy that industrialization alone causes wealth growth, emphasizing that it is an intermediate effect rather than a cause. The author argues that increasing average income requires an agricultural surplus to feed the industrial population.

The author questions the rush to industrialize in developing countries, noting that it is not necessarily the fastest way to increase wealth without an agricultural base. It suggests that limited capital should be spread widely to directly increase food production rather than invested in capital-intensive industrial plants. It advocates for free development rather than imposing patterns from advanced countries (which have different capital-labor ratios). It acknowledges a role for government in providing examples and spreading knowledge/education but strongly argues against overall planning and direction of all economic activity.

A.  While productivity is mentioned, it is not the central argument; the focus is on how to allocate resources.

B.  There is a comparison, but it is used to critique the imitation of advanced countries, not the main objective.

C.   This is directly supported, especially in the last paragraph:  "the case against over-all planning and direction of all economic activity is even stronger there than in more advanced countries."

D.  The proportion is discussed, but the author is not advocating active management; rather, they argue against forced patterns.

E.  The author actually disputes this direct link, calling it a confusion of effect and cause.

Answer: C

madhavbajaj9 · Answer

Sajjad1994  Sir in Q2 shouldn't it be A instead of C. C looks enticing but, para in my opinion talk about invest in industrial equipments and try to spread the wealth among people as much as possible which will boost the demand for food eventually

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

2. What does the author of this passage recommend in order to produce a rapid rise in standard of living in India and China?

Explanation

The author recommends that in order to produce a rapid rise in the standard of living in India and China, capital should be directed primarily towards  increasing the production of food , rather than towards large-scale industrialization or capital-intensive plants. This is evident from the statement:  "only a small portion of such capital as becomes available should be devoted to the creation of elaborate industrial equipment and perhaps none of it to the kind of highly automatized, 'capital-intensive' plants... and that these countries should aim at spreading such capital as widely and thinly as possible among those uses that will directly increase the production of food."

Answer: C

It is paradoxical that the old countries involve themselves in the mos

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GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) Questions

It is paradoxical that the old countries involve themselves in the mos

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615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

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