"Unless our nation redistributes wealth, we will be able to alleviate economic injustice and our current system will lead inevitably to intolerable economic inequities."
Nation does not redistribute wealth - > unable to alleviate economic injustice
Unable to alleviate economic injustice - > intolerable economic inequities
No intolerable economic inequities - > alleviate economic injustice
"If the inequities become intolerable, those who suffer from the injustice will resort to violence to coerce social reform."
Intolerable economic inequities - > violent attempts at social reform
No violent attempts at social reform - > no intolerable economic inequities
Using the transitive property, we can conclude:
No violent attempts at social reform - > no intolerable economic inequities - > alleviate economic injustice - > nation redistributes wealth
Nation does not redistribute wealth - > unable to alleviate economic injustice - > intolerable economic inequalities - > violent attempts at social reform
The passage argues that it is the nation's responsibility to alleviate conditions that would otherwise give rise to violent attempts at social reform. From mapping out the question and using the transitive property, we can conclude that:
Nation does not redistribute wealth - > violent attempts at social reform
This passage therefore commits the politician to the conclusion that the nation has the responsibility to redistribute wealth. This is directly stated by answer choice B which is therefore the correct answer.
A is incorrect because the passage does not take a stance on whether violence is justified when aiming for social reform. It merely states that it is our nation's responsibility to alleviate the conditions that would lead to this violence.
C is incorrect because it is irrelevant to the passage. The politician discusses neither political expediency nor moral principles. It could equally be argued that alleviating the conditions that would give rise to violent attempts at social reform is a decision based on political expediency or moral principles.
D is incorrect because it contradicts the politician's statements. The politician argues that, if we do not alleviate economic injustice, intolerable economic inequities and violent attempts at social reform will arise. Therefore, the politician is arguing that economic injustice must be remedied.
Finally, E is incorrect as it is not supported by the passage. The politician merely states that we cannot alleviate economic injustice unless we redistribute wealth. They do not discuss any other potentially necessary conditions for alleviating economic injustice or whether additional necessary conditions exist.
Hope this was helpful! Please let us know if you have any further questions.
Brett-LindsayJuly 7, 2020
I had thought that D was incorrect in part because it introduces a previously undiscussed concept: "intolerable social conditions"
I don't see "intolerable economic inequities" as being the same concept as "intolerable social conditions"
Wouldn't that change in terminology knock it out as an answer?
VictoriaJuly 25, 2020
Hi @Brett-Lindsay,
"Intolerable social conditions" in this answer choice is referring to the violence that would arise to coerce social reform. Intolerable economic inequities is covered by the first part of this answer choice i.e. "economic injustice."
Hope this helps clear things up a bit! Please let us know if you have any further questions.
