LSAT 34, Reading Comprehension, Q1, LSATHacks

RC Question 1 Explanation, by LSATHacks

DISCUSSION: The passage is a descriptive argument. It tells us what will happen, and why. 

It doesn’t tell us what should happen. All we know is that authoritarian rulers will often be forced to make democratic reforms because of changes in society.

___________

1. Actually, most authoritarian rulers only make changes when threatened. (lines 6-7)
2. The article is about how authoritarian rulers make changes to preserve power. The passage never said that dictators are doomed to fail. They just might have to make democratic changes.
3. There was no talk of success being short lived. Lines 54-56 mention stability. This stability gives citizens time to think about democracy. 
4. The passage implies that authoritarian rulers can keep holding power, if they implement some level of democratic reforms (lines 59-60). 
5. CORRECT. The first paragraph tells us that authoritarian rulers only make reforms when compelled. Authoritarian rule inevitably causes changes in society that in turn force the dictator to make changes of his own.

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