For All their Significant Differences, these Philosophers had One thing in Common

Reading Passage Question

For all their significant differences, these philosophers had one thing in common: they believed that modern political thinking must be based on reason, on a rational analysis of human nature and of the conditions necessary for freedom and justice, in states maintained by the consent of the governed. Hence, they would almost all share a certain despair and wonder at the extent to which modern politics has in some places been dominated by irrationality, by, for example, the success of charismatic tyrants who justify their activities by the cult of personality or by racial-ethnic-nationalistic metaphors or by a return to theocracy, the rule of the clerisy in the name of a traditional religion.

Dealing with such states creates real problems for Liberals and Communists alike, because they rest on principles foreign to the entire modern Western tradition and hence are often frustratingly incomprehensible to Westerners. Its very hard for us to accept that some people may not want democracy, do not place a particularly high value on personal liberty to do as they wish, and are not concerned about the consent of the governed or citizens' rights in the way that our models of the state require.

In the West, the Hobbes-Locke formulation of liberal political order is very much alive and in the ascendant, as the hard-won adjustments to that brought about by a socialism inspired by Marx are, bit by bit, being shredded by the need to keep capitalism dynamic and by the growing power of giant corporations. At the same time, however, the threats posed by terrorism are leading many Western governments to introduce significant limitations on personal liberty in the name of national security.

It's also clear that the political and economic success of Western liberalism is helping to increase the already alarming gap between rich and poor throughout the world, in precisely the way Marx predicted. There is no shortage of dire warnings about the urgent need to address this issue with something more than World Trade Organization meetings and World Bank loans. But any intelligent and effective steps for more global justice may well require a significant re-evaluation of the very principles on which the success of that liberalism depends.

“For all their significant differences, these philosophers had one thing in common”- is a GMAT reading comprehension passage with answers. Candidates need a strong knowledge of English GMAT reading comprehension.

This GMAT Reading Comprehension consists of 7 comprehension questions. The GMAT Reading Comprehension questions are designed for testing candidates’ abilities in understanding, analyzing, and applying information or concepts. Candidates can actively prepare with the help of GMAT Reading Comprehension Practice Questions.

Solution and explanation

1. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

1. The pressures exerted on capitalist countries by the Marxist movement resulted in beneficial changes.
2. Western response to the threat of terrorism runs counter to the Hobbes-Locke formulation of liberal political order.
3. The World Trade Organization is not fulfilling its duties in the battle against terrorist threats.
4. Liberals and Communists hold vastly different opinions concerning the legitimacy of charismatic tyrants.
5. ​The Hobbes-Locke formulation of liberal political order can explain the ineffectiveness of World Bank loans in developing nations.

2. The main point of the fourth paragraph is:

1. In order to fairly distribute the world's resources, the successful political philosophies of Western liberalism may require changes.
2. Western liberalism is responsible for making the world's poor poorer and the world's rich richer.
3. The World Trade Organization is not doing enough to combat the spread of liberalism.
4. World Bank loans are ineffective in addressing the needs of developing countries.
5. An intelligent and effective approach to justly distributing the world's resources may require changes to both the World Bank and the World Trade Organization.

3. Which of the following most accurately describes the meaning of the first sentence of paragraph three?

1. Modern corporations are threatening the Hobbes-Locke formulation of liberal political order.
2. Marxist socialism is successfully adjusting to the threat of capitalism.
3. The threats posed by terrorism have resulted in limitations on personal liberty in many Western governments.
4. Capitalism made concessions to Marxist socialism that are now being undone.
5. The West won its battle to stem the spread of socialism in the East.

4. The author would most likely not agree with which of the following?

1. The disparity amongst the wealth of nations is growing.
2. Some of the steps taken by Western governments to combat terrorism are anti-liberal.
3. Democratic societies will not elect their leaders irrationally.
4. Personal liberty is a virtue of liberal governments that should be highly valued.
5. Modern political thinking should be based on reason.

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