LSAT 130 | Section 1 | Logical Reasoning: Q23

LR Question 23 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Politician: We should impose a tariff on imported fruit

QUESTION TYPE: Principle – Conform

CONCLUSION: We ought to place a tariff on imported fruit.

REASONING: Otherwise, imports will put fruit farmers out of business. Their land will convert to industrial use, and their way of life will vanish.

ANALYSIS: The politician is putting a high premium on the farmers’ way of life. They’re basically arguing that we should impose costs on consumers in order to protect a specific way of life.

Most of the wrong answers are assuming that tariffs help a country, but that’s not obvious. In this case, tariffs hurt consumers and block land from being converted to more lucrative industrial uses.

The politician thinks that preserving a way of life is more important than economic efficiency.

___________

1. It’s not clear that tariffs actually help the economy. They hurt consumers, and they block land from being converted to more lucrative industrial uses.
   The politician’s concern seemed to be preserving a way of life despite economic inefficiency.
2. This is too strong a statement. The politician might not think that we should favor producers in all situations.
3. CORRECT. This is vague enough to work. Social concerns = protecting a way of life. Economic efficiency = not interfering in market prices.
4. It’s not clear that a tariff is in the interests of the country. It helps certain fruit producers, but hurts consumers.
5. This isn’t supported. The industrial uses are more lucrative, so blocking the conversion of land with a tariff probably reduces efficiency.