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Economist: If the belief were to become widespread that losing one’s 27 Sep 2018, 10:05
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Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!

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53% (02:08) correct 47% (02:12) wrong based on 762 sessions

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Economist: If the belief were to become widespread that losing one’s job is not a sign of personal shortcomings but instead an effect of impersonal social forces (which is surely correct), there would be growth in the societal demand for more government control of the economy to protect individuals from these forces, just as the government now protects them from military invasion. Such extensive government control of the economy would lead to an economic disaster, however.

The economist’s statements, if true, most strongly support which one of the following?

(A) Increased knowledge of the causes of job loss could lead to economic disaster.
(B) An individual’s belief in his or her own abilities is the only reliable protection against impersonal social forces.
(C) Governments should never interfere with economic forces.
(D) Societal demand for government control of the economy is growing.
(E) In general, people should feel no more responsible for economic disasters than for military invasions.

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A
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Economist: If the belief were to become widespread that losing one’s 29 Sep 2018, 01:13
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I think C is the answer whereas OA is A. Please clarify why A is the answer .
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Economist: If the belief were to become widespread that losing one’s 29 Sep 2018, 02:28
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Economist: If the belief were to become widespread that losing one’s job is not a sign of personal shortcomings but instead an effect of impersonal social forces (which is surely correct), there would be growth in the societal demand for more government control of the economy to protect individuals from these forces, just as the government now protects them from military invasion. Such extensive government control of the economy would lead to an economic disaster, however.

The economist’s statements, if true, most strongly support which one of the following?

(A) Increased knowledge of the causes of job loss could lead to economic disaster.
(B) An individual’s belief in his or her own abilities is the only reliable protection against impersonal social forces.
(C) Governments should never interfere with economic forces.
(D) Societal demand for government control of the economy is growing.
(E) In general, people should feel no more responsible for economic disasters than for military invasions.

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The argument boiled down to specifics states that

Impersonal Social forces are the cause for Job loss. This belief will lead to growth in societal demand for more government control of the economy. Finally, more government control will lead to economic disaster.

Hence if there is more government control that will fight Impersonal social forces to protect job loss, then it will lead to economic disaster.

So it is a chain of cause & effect relations.

Since it is an Inference question, a correct answer will likely be a rephrasing of one of the premises or a combination of the premises.

Using POE on the answer choices,

(A) Increased knowledge of the causes of job loss could lead to economic disaster. - This seems ok, because the cause of job loss is "impersonal social forces", which more government control will fight. Hence rephrasing the answer choice, it becomes "more government control could lead to economic disaster". This is exactly what the stimulus says.
(B) An individual’s belief in his or her own abilities is the only reliable protection against impersonal social forces. - This is incorrect, as it simply tries to weaken the premise that more government control is protection against impersonal social forces
(C) Governments should never interfere with economic forces. - This is a very extreme statement. The use of "never" is very strong & generalized. The argument is very specific about a particular case of cause & effect relation. Hence it is incorrect.
(D) Societal demand for government control of the economy is growing. - Ok this was close. I crossed this one off, because the stimulus says "more government control" & the answer choice says simply "government control". There is big difference between the two, the answer choice implies "there is no government control right now & the demand for it is growing", whereas the stimulus doesn't mention anything like that. Also the stimulus is hypothetical & the answer choice is factual.
(E) In general, people should feel no more responsible for economic disasters than for military invasions - This one is irrelevant.



Answer A.


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Economist: If the belief were to become widespread that losing one’s 29 Sep 2018, 02:45
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Economist: If the belief were to become widespread that losing one’s job is not a sign of personal shortcomings but instead an effect of impersonal social forces (which is surely correct), there would be growth in the societal demand for more government control of the economy to protect individuals from these forces, just as the government now protects them from military invasion. Such extensive government control of the economy would lead to an economic disaster, however.

The economist’s statements, if true, most strongly support which one of the following?

(A) Increased knowledge of the causes of job loss could lead to economic disaster.
(B) An individual’s belief in his or her own abilities is the only reliable protection against impersonal social forces.
(C) Governments should never interfere with economic forces.
(D) Societal demand for government control of the economy is growing.
(E) In general, people should feel no more responsible for economic disasters than for military invasions.

LSAT
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+1 for A

Clearly D and E are Irreleveant

Among A, B and C, B and C use extreme language, which can be used to eliminate them right away.

(B) An individual’s belief in his or her own abilities is the only reliable protection against impersonal social forces.
(C) Governments should never interfere with economic forces.
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Economist: If the belief were to become widespread that losing one’s 29 Sep 2018, 02:52
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Akash720


+1 for A

Clearly D and E are Irreleveant

Among A, B and C, B and C use extreme language, which can be used to eliminate them right away.

(B) An individual’s belief in his or her own abilities is the only reliable protection against impersonal social forces.
(C) Governments should never interfere with economic forces.
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Hi Akash,

Can you please elaborate why D is irrelevant? maybe i am missing out something there, as i found D to be a close answer.

Thanks,
GyM
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Economist: If the belief were to become widespread that losing one’s 17 Dec 2018, 17:59
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GyMrAT
Akash720


+1 for A

Clearly D and E are Irreleveant

Among A, B and C, B and C use extreme language, which can be used to eliminate them right away.

(B) An individual’s belief in his or her own abilities is the only reliable protection against impersonal social forces.
(C) Governments should never interfere with economic forces.


Hi Akash,

Can you please elaborate why D is irrelevant? maybe i am missing out something there, as i found D to be a close answer.

Thanks,
GyM
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(D) Societal demand for government control of the economy is growing.

It is nowhere mentioned that the demand is growing.
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Economist: If the belief were to become widespread that losing one’s 06 Jan 2019, 20:48
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GyMrAT
Akash720


+1 for A

Clearly D and E are Irreleveant

Among A, B and C, B and C use extreme language, which can be used to eliminate them right away.

(B) An individual’s belief in his or her own abilities is the only reliable protection against impersonal social forces.
(C) Governments should never interfere with economic forces.


Hi Akash,

Can you please elaborate why D is irrelevant? maybe i am missing out something there, as i found D to be a close answer.

Thanks,
GyM
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The first sentence says that if X happens, then Y will happen. This does not mean that Y is happening.
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Economist: If the belief were to become widespread that losing one’s 15 Mar 2021, 23:37
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Economist: If the belief were to become widespread that losing one’s job is not a sign of personal shortcomings but instead an effect of impersonal social forces (which is surely correct), there would be growth in the societal demand for more government control of the economy to protect individuals from these forces, just as the government now protects them from military invasion. Such extensive government control of the economy would lead to an economic disaster, however.

The economist’s statements, if true, most strongly support which one of the following?

(A) Increased knowledge of the causes of job loss could lead to economic disaster.
(B) An individual’s belief in his or her own abilities is the only reliable protection against impersonal social forces.
(C) Governments should never interfere with economic forces.
(D) Societal demand for government control of the economy is growing.
(E) In general, people should feel no more responsible for economic disasters than for military invasions.

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Hi, experts, VeritasKarishma can you please help here, below is my analysis of the argument but I can't seem to decide on the correct answer choice

We are given a conditional statement which states Sufficient -> 'Belief becomes widespread that losing one’s job is the effect of impersonal social forces' Necessary -> 'there would be growth in the societal demand for more government control to protect the individual from these forces' but then the counterpoint is 'Such extensive control will lead to economic disaster' which seems like the conclusion of the argument, and after argument ends in 'however' (Now, I am not sure what this, however, is doing here)

If the economist argument is true, it supports most strongly which of the following statement indicates, this is an MBT question

If my above analysis is true can you please help, how to evaluate the option choices now.
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Economist: If the belief were to become widespread that losing one’s 18 Mar 2021, 23:00
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Economist: If the belief were to become widespread that losing one’s job is not a sign of personal shortcomings but instead an effect of impersonal social forces (which is surely correct), there would be growth in the societal demand for more government control of the economy to protect individuals from these forces, just as the government now protects them from military invasion. Such extensive government control of the economy would lead to an economic disaster, however.

The economist’s statements, if true, most strongly support which one of the following?

(A) Increased knowledge of the causes of job loss could lead to economic disaster.
(B) An individual’s belief in his or her own abilities is the only reliable protection against impersonal social forces.
(C) Governments should never interfere with economic forces.
(D) Societal demand for government control of the economy is growing.
(E) In general, people should feel no more responsible for economic disasters than for military invasions.

LSAT
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Question stem: The economist’s statements, if true, most strongly support which one of the following?

The argument gives us economist's statements. We need to take them to be true. The correct option gives us a conclusion.

In such questions, method of elimination proves useful.

Economist's Statements:
- If people came to know that job loss is because of social forces (and not their own shortcomings), they would put pressure on the Govt to control the economy (just the way the Govt controls military to protect them)
- But extensive Govt control of economy will lead to economic disaster.

(A) Increased knowledge of the causes of job loss could lead to economic disaster.
Hold

(B) An individual’s belief in his or her own abilities is the only reliable protection against impersonal social forces.
No. It seems that people believe that Govt control is protection against impersonal social forces. Actually what is protection against impersonal social forces, we don't really know.

(C) Governments should never interfere with economic forces.
No. The argument does not state what Govt should or should not do.

(D) Societal demand for government control of the economy is growing.
No. The author gives a hypothetical situation. "If this happens then societal demand for that will grow..."
We don't know what's actually happening.

(E) In general, people should feel no more responsible for economic disasters than for military invasions.
No. The argument doesn't say whether people should or should not feel responsible for economic disasters or military invasions. It just says that if they came to know X, they will pressurise Govt to do Y and that will lead to Z.

Look at (A) again:
(A) Increased knowledge of the causes of job loss could lead to economic disaster.
If people come to know (increased knowledge ) of the cause of job loss (impersonal social forces), they would pressurise Govt to take control which could lead to economic disaster.
So (A) does make sense.

Answer (A)
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Economist: If the belief were to become widespread that losing one’s 18 Mar 2021, 23:49
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Akela
Economist: If the belief were to become widespread that losing one’s job is not a sign of personal shortcomings but instead an effect of impersonal social forces (which is surely correct), there would be growth in the societal demand for more government control of the economy to protect individuals from these forces, just as the government now protects them from military invasion. Such extensive government control of the economy would lead to an economic disaster, however.

The economist’s statements, if true, most strongly support which one of the following?

(A) Increased knowledge of the causes of job loss could lead to economic disaster.
(B) An individual’s belief in his or her own abilities is the only reliable protection against impersonal social forces.
(C) Governments should never interfere with economic forces.
(D) Societal demand for government control of the economy is growing.
(E) In general, people should feel no more responsible for economic disasters than for military invasions.

LSAT

Question stem: The economist’s statements, if true, most strongly support which one of the following?

The argument gives us economist's statements. We need to take them to be true. The correct option gives us a conclusion.

In such questions, method of elimination proves useful.

Economist's Statements:
- If people came to know that job loss is because of social forces (and not their own shortcomings), they would put pressure on the Govt to control the economy (just the way the Govt controls military to protect them)
- But extensive Govt control of economy will lead to economic disaster.

(A) Increased knowledge of the causes of job loss could lead to economic disaster.
Hold

(B) An individual’s belief in his or her own abilities is the only reliable protection against impersonal social forces.
No. It seems that people believe that Govt control is protection against impersonal social forces. Actually what is protection against impersonal social forces, we don't really know.

(C) Governments should never interfere with economic forces.
No. The argument does not state what Govt should or should not do.

(D) Societal demand for government control of the economy is growing.
No. The author gives a hypothetical situation. "If this happens then societal demand for that will grow..."
We don't know what's actually happening.

(E) In general, people should feel no more responsible for economic disasters than for military invasions.
No. The argument doesn't say whether people should or should not feel responsible for economic disasters or military invasions. It just says that if they came to know X, they will pressurise Govt to do Y and that will lead to Z.

Look at (A) again:
(A) Increased knowledge of the causes of job loss could lead to economic disaster.
If people come to know (increased knowledge ) of the cause of job loss (impersonal social forces), they would pressurise Govt to take control which could lead to economic disaster.
So (A) does make sense.

Answer (A)
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Thank's Karishma for your response :)
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Economist: If the belief were to become widespread that losing one’s 20 Mar 2021, 06:38
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(A) Increased knowledge of the causes of job loss could lead to economic disaster. -- Paraphrasing the passage here. A ---> B --> C, therefore A to C. Fine. Its also a linear logic. But so far so good. Keep unless a better option.

(B) An individual’s belief in his or her own abilities is the only reliable protection against impersonal social forces. -- Not sure. Seems opposite to infact what the passage is saying that personal shortcomings are not the reason at large for job losses. And to protect against impersonal social forces, one would need intervention of govt. Eliminate.

(C) Governments should never interfere with economic forces. -- That's quite a leap. The passage doesn't say or imply that. Eliminate.

(D) Societal demand for government control of the economy is growing. -- The passage is discussing a hypothetical situation. Eliminate.

(E) In general, people should feel no more responsible for economic disasters than for military invasions. -- That's a stretch of logic. Eliminate.
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Economist: If the belief were to become widespread that losing one’s 28 May 2022, 10:44
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Hi AndrewN

I narrowed it down to A and E. I finally eliminated A as I thought that it is not the "knowledge" per se that would cause the disaster. It has to be the "growing belief", which will simulate a chain of events that lead to a disaster. What did I miss ?
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Economist: If the belief were to become widespread that losing one’s 28 May 2022, 12:36
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Hi AndrewN

I narrowed it down to A and E. I finally eliminated A as I thought that it is not the "knowledge" per se that would cause the disaster. It has to be the "growing belief", which will simulate a chain of events that lead to a disaster. What did I miss ?
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You did not miss anything, Namangupta1997. Rather, we are forced to conflate belief from the first line of the passage with knowledge in answer choice (A). I think that as an LSAT question, the logic may be fine; as a GMAT™ question, I would expect a rewrite. That said, I do not see how any answer besides (A) could be defended, but I would steer clear of the question altogether for GMAT™ preparation.

- Andrew
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Economist: If the belief were to become widespread that losing one’s 19 Jul 2025, 07:01
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