Robert Dahl

Answer choices

1. A

   Weakens, if anything8% picked this

   The political agenda in a polyarchy is strongly influenced by how power resources other than

   This is pretty tempting, because Dahl is definitely emphasizing the distribution of power, but he still thinks that distribution is related to the vote. He thinks that, "Competing for votes, parties seek to offer different sections of the electorate what they most want". It's through this vote-baiting that all the various pressure groups and organizations get their share of distributed power. In the 3rd paragraph, the critics of pluralist democracy are saying that "the distribution of power resources other than the vote was so uneven that the political order gave more weight to the rich and powerful". This answer would help those critics, by arguing that those non-vote resources are super influential.

   8%
2. B

   Weakens3% picked this

   The outcome of elections is more often determined by the financial resources candidates are able to spend during campaigns than by

   This also helps the point of view of the critics in the 3rd paragraph. They think that the vote isn't as powerful as Dahl thinks; they maintain that the distribution of wealth and power is really what converts into political power. This answer strengthens that view by saying that outcomes of elections are more often determined by who has more money than by who as appealed best to different groups to court their votes.

   3%
3. C

   Weakens2% picked this

   Public policy in a polyarchy is primarily determined by decision-makers who are not accountable

   Dahl thinks that polyarchy is awesome because it diffuses power away from the center. It's a system "in which elected officials both determine government policy and are accountable to a broad-based electorate". This answer goes against that by saying the primary decision makers are not accountable to elected officials.

   2%
4. D

   Weakens3% picked this

   Political parties in a polyarchy help concentrate political power in the

   Dahl's favorite thing about polyarchy is that is diffuses political power away from any single center. This answer is saying the opposite, that it helps to concentrate political power in a central government.

   3%
5. E

   Correct85% picked this

   Small and diverse pressure groups are able to exert as much influence on public policy in a polyarchy as

   Why this is right

   This helps Dahl answer the objections in the 3rd paragraph of critics who are worried that in polyarchies, some groups are so influential because of their extra wealth or power, that they can effectively exclude the influence of others. This answer is saying that even small, diverse pressure groups (the ones who'd be less likely to have this wealth and power) are still just as influential as the large and powerful groups. That buttresses Dahl's picture of power widely distributed, with lots of different groups able to exert considerable political power.

   Skill tested: Strengthen · how this choice captures the passage's function is the move to repeat next time.

   85%