Point at Issue Questions - - Question 12

Conservative: Socialists begin their arguments with an analysis of history, from which they claim to derive certain t...

Grace-Luker February 5, 2021

Confused

I don't really understand the answer to this one. Socialists using an analysis of history is blatantly stated by both people. I don't see how THAT's the dispute when they both stated it. I could understand if the answer was "whether it's justifiable for socialists to use analysis of history to predict socialist future" or whatever, because the first guy would NOT agree that it is justifiable, and the second person would agree that it IS justifiable. Answer choice E doesn't seem like a dispute, it seems like a fact stated in both arguments.

Reply
Create a free account to read and take part in forum discussions.

Already have an account? log in

Victoria February 5, 2021

Hi @Grace-Luker,

Happy to help!

You would be correct if answer choice (E) just read "socialists analyze history in order to support their views." However, the important part of this answer choice is that historical analysis is used "to support the view that socialism is inevitable."

Both the conservative and the socialist agree that socialists analyze history to support their views. However, they disagree on whether this historical analysis supports or can be used to support the view that socialism is inevitable.

The conservative argues that socialists use historical analysis to "derive certain trends leading inevitably to a socialist future."

The socialist refutes this, noting that, if socialists actually thought that socialism was inevitable, then they would not fight to transform the institutions of capitalist society. Rather, the socialist argues that historical analysis is essential to understand capitalist institutions and it is necessary to understand these institutions to transform them.

Hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any further questions.