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Re: Historians have long thought that America was, from the beginning, pro [#permalink]
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Passage map:
p1: To state a reinterpretation of a long standing belief
P2: To argue that this reinterpretation is not representative of how the US was created
The author is initially quite descriptive, then questions a lot of the arguments given by the authors in question

2 incorrect, sat this untimed

I'm just writing out my analysis for the 2 questions i got wrong.

Question 1
A - I didn't select A, incorrectly I marked it as a Contender, as I didn't really understand how things tied together. But now I see that A is correct. Initially the author states that's Pocock's argument: that he believes the US was "rooted" in "classical republicanism" - M's writings. The author, in the second passage, then argues against Pocock's thesis (that US was uprooted...) stating that it is of "dubious" validity. The author then states what the US is founded upon: "optimism..." (last sentence).
Thus the main idea is encapsulated in A
B is incorrect because this is just not supported. The passage is based on the virtues the US was founded upon
C -- i stupidly selected this as I didn't fully understand the argument. It's incorrect as the argument isn't really concerned with this, it's states pocock's belief then argues against it.
D - is incorrect as this is more the author's view, not pocock's.
E - No- jeferson is briefly mentioned to present how jeferson is reinterpreted in light of P's notion
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Re: Historians have long thought that America was, from the beginning, pro [#permalink]
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Question 2


krittapat
GMATNinja egmat
veritasKarishma
Could you please help explain why option B in question 5 is wrong?
I don't think choice C is supported by any info in the passage.

Also, Could you please help explain question 2 in details?
I don't have any clue to solve this question.
I wouldn't worry too much about question 5, since the OA hasn't been verified. But in case it helps, here's a breakdown of question 2.
In the first paragraph, the author describes Pocock's idea of liberty with the following sentence:
Liberty was interpreted as a condition that is realized when people are virtuous and are willing to sacrifice their individual interests for the sake of the community.
So according to Pocock, liberty is when people are willing to sacrifice their individual interests for the "sake of the community." Let's take a look at question #2.
2. The conception of liberty that, according to Pocock, formed the basis of America’s eighteenth-century ideology is most clearly exhibited by which of the following individuals?

(A) The merchant who rebuilds the damaged sidewalk in front of his store in order to avoid potential lawsuits by customers who might fall there
Although rebuilding the damaged sidewalk will benefit the community, the merchant is not doing this as a willing sacrifice of his or her "individual interests." Rather, the merchant rebuilds the damaged sidewalk to avoid a lawsuit. In other words, the merchant is motivated NOT by willingness to sacrifice, but self-interest. Eliminate (A).
(B) The professor who allows her students to help her design the content and the format of the courses she teaches
By allowing her students to help her design her courses, the professor is not "sacrificing" her "individual interests." If anything, getting her students to help her do her work is serving her "individual interests." Get rid of (B).
(C) The doctor who bows to government pressure and agrees to treat a small number of low-income patients at no cost
While treating low-income patients at no cost is a sacrifice for the "sake of the community," it's not a willing sacrifice. In fact, the doctor is only making this sacrifice because he or she was pressured by the government. Since this isn't an example of a willing sacrifice, (C) is out.
(D) The lawyer who argues that a state law prohibiting smoking in public places unfairly encroaches on the rights of smokers
The lawyer is not making a sacrifice, but merely arguing in favor of the rights of smokers. Also, while this action may benefit smokers, it's not being done for the "sake of the community." Eliminate (D).
(E) The engineer whose business suffers as a result of the personal time and energy he devotes to a program to clean up city streets
By devoting personal time and energy to cleaning city streets, the engineer is clearly acting for the "sake of the community." Because these actions are done freely (i.e. not because the government is pressuring the engineer), and because they cause the engineer's business to suffer, they are a willing sacrifice. Since this fits the definition of liberty from the passage, (E) is correct.
I hope that helps!
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Re: Historians have long thought that America was, from the beginning, pro [#permalink]
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These are thosxe I found out. Let me know if you want help for all the questions or a specific one
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Re: Historians have long thought that America was, from the beginning, pro [#permalink]
Please explain 7th question
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Historians have long thought that America was, from the beginning, pro [#permalink]
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To answer the question, we are looking for something that Pocock's theory suggests about 18th century Americans. Pocock believed that American society at this time was shaped by classical republicanism -- so, what would these classically republican Americans believe about increasing commercial activity? Would it:

Quote:
(A) force the landed gentry to relinquish their vast holdings

There is no support in the passage for this answer choice. "Landed gentry" are mentioned near the end of the passage, but nowhere does the author imply that classical republicans believed that increasing commercial activity would somehow force the gentry to give up their land. (A) is out.

Quote:
(B) enrich the nation and increase individual rights

Classical republicans saw commerce as "the greatest enemy of virtue." So, commerce is not seen in a positive light at all, and increasing commercial activity was not seen as a way to "enrich the nation." (B) is out.

Quote:
(C) cause some people to forfeit their liberty and virtue

Here is what the passage says about liberty, virtue, and commerce in the eyes of classical republicans:
Quote:
Liberty was interpreted as a condition that is realized when people are virtuous and are willing to sacrifice their individual interests for the sake of the community. To be completely virtuous, people had to be independent and free of the petty interests of the marketplace. The greatest enemy of virtue was commerce.

So, what would happen with increasing commercial activity?
  • "The greatest enemy of virtue was commerce," so increasing commercial activity would make it more difficult to be virtuous.
  • "Liberty... is realized when people are virtuous," so if it is more difficult to be virtuous, then it is less likely that people would have liberty.

In all, classical republicans believed that increasing commercial activity would decrease the number of people who were virtuous and therefore had liberty. Let's keep (C) for now.

Quote:
(D) create a mood of optimism about national prosperity

Nope. Classical republicans did not support increasing commercial activity, and optimism about national prosperity is mentioned in the last sentence of the passage to describe how Americans were actually not classical republicans. (D) is out.

Quote:
(E) strengthen the political appeal of middle-class radicals

The passage does not imply that classical republicans connected increasing commercial activity with a strengthened appeal of middle class radicals.

(E) is out, and (C) is our answer.

I hope that helps!
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Historians have long thought that America was, from the beginning, pro [#permalink]
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