Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Easy

PT133 S2 Q2 Explanation

Some political thinkers hope

A free, expert breakdown of this official LSAT Logical Reasoning question.

TopicsNecessary Assumption

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Stimulus

Some political thinkers hope to devise a form of government in which every citizen's rights are respected. But such a form of government is impossible. For any government must be defined and controlled by laws that determine its powers and limits; and it is inevitable that some individuals gain a greater share of political power than others have.

What this question is testing

Necessary Assumption

Your task

Find the assumption the argument requires in order for its conclusion to hold.

Common trap

Answers that would help the argument but aren't strictly required (sufficient, not necessary).

Winning move

Negate each choice — the right one breaks the argument when negated.

Reading along? Open the full official question in LawHub — we show a fragment here and keep the reasoning in our own words.

The question
2.

Which one of the following is an assumption required by

Answer choices

  1. Too Strong5% picked this

    In any form of government that leads to unequal distribution of political power, the rights of the majority

    This answer is close but goes too far by asserting that the majority of people will have their rights violated.

  2. Weakens1% picked this

    A government can ensure that every citizen's rights are respected by keeping the citizens ignorant

    The argument specifically concludes that a government that respects everyone's rights is impossible to achieve.

  3. Out of Scope4% picked this

    Not all the laws that define a government's power and limits

    Misinterpreting laws is not relevant to the argument.

  4. Correct83% picked this

    In any form of government, if anybody gains a greater share of political power than others have, then

    Why this is right

    This bridges the gap between EPP → ERR an unequal share of political power and not everyone's rights being respected.

    Skill tested: Necessary Assumption · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

  5. Weakens7% picked this

    People who have more political power than others have tend to use it to acquire an even greater

    Using political power to acquire more political power does not address whether that political power will create a system whereby some people's rights are violated.

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