LSAT Explanation PT 36, S3, Q6: Government official: A satisfactory way of

LSAT Question Stem

The claim that foreign capital funneled into the economy would cause inflation plays which one of the following roles in the government official's argument? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is an Argument Part question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is B. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

First, let's analyze the argument in the passage. The government official is discussing the problem of chronic food shortages in their country. The argument can be broken down into the following parts:

Premise 1: Direct aid from other countries in the form of food shipments undermines long-term agricultural self-sufficiency.

Premise 2: If external sources of food are delivered effectively, local food producers and suppliers are forced out of business.

Premise 3: Foreign capital funneled to long-term development projects would cause inflation, driving the price of food beyond the reach of most citizens.

Conclusion: A satisfactory way of eliminating chronic food shortages in the country is not easily achievable.

Now, let's consider the question type. This is an Argument Part question, which asks us to identify the role that a specific claim plays in the argument. In this case, we need to determine the role of the claim that foreign capital funneled into the economy would cause inflation.

Now, let's go through each answer choice:

a) It supports the claim that the official's country must someday be agriculturally self-sufficient.

- This answer choice is incorrect because the claim about foreign capital causing inflation does not directly support the idea that the country must be agriculturally self-sufficient.

b) It supports the claim that there is no easy solution to the problem of chronic food shortages in the official's country.

- This is the correct answer. The claim about foreign capital causing inflation is one of the premises that supports the conclusion that there is no easy solution to the problem of chronic food shortages.

c) It is supported by the claim that the official's country must someday be agriculturally self-sufficient.

- This answer choice is incorrect because the claim about the country needing to be agriculturally self-sufficient does not directly support the claim about foreign capital causing inflation.

d) It supports the claim that donations of food from other countries will not end the chronic food shortages in the official's country.

- This answer choice is incorrect because the claim about foreign capital causing inflation does not directly support the idea that donations of food will not end the chronic food shortages.

e) It is supported by the claim that food producers and suppliers in the official's country may be forced out of business by donations of food from other countries.

- This answer choice is incorrect because the claim about food producers and suppliers being forced out of business does not directly support the claim about foreign capital causing inflation.

In summary, the correct answer is B, as the claim about foreign capital causing inflation supports the conclusion that there is no easy solution to the problem of chronic food shortages in the official's country.