Question

Historian: The Russian Revolution in the early 20th century was sparked not by the proletariat, but by the bourgeoisie, or intellectual middle-class, a fact that is widely accepted in modern academia. The French Revolution of 1789 was also largely ignited by a rising middle class. The idea that political upheavals are initiated by the populist "peasant-class" is widely accepted as a fallacy today. Therefore, political commentators analyzing the "Arab Spring" movement in the past two years are inaccurate in suggesting that the movement is truly populist.
Which of the following best describes the flaw in the historian's argument?

• A. It accepts that movements cannot be both populist and spurred by the middle class.
• B. The argument draws a conclusion based on a claim which may not be universally true.
• C. The historian's argument is based on what is "widely accepted" by contemporary historians and not on established facts.
• D. The argument implies that the Arab Spring is relatively similar to historical revolutions with no concrete evidence.
• E. It overlooks the cultural and temporal differences between the Russian, French, and Arab political climates.

Hint:

When evaluating arguments, always consider the context and the time frame in which events took place.

Answer 1

Answer: (E)

Step 1: Analyzing the historian's argument.
The historian compares revolutions across different historical and cultural contexts (Russian, French, and Arab). However, this overlooks the significant cultural and temporal differences between these revolutions.

Step 2: Analysis of options.
- (A) The historian does not explicitly claim that movements cannot be both populist and spurred by the middle class.
- (B) The argument doesn't necessarily rely on a claim that may not be universally true but instead overlooks other factors.
- (C) The historian's use of "widely accepted" is not the core flaw; the main issue is the failure to account for context.
- (D) There is no direct evidence suggesting the Arab Spring is similar to other revolutions, but this is not the key flaw.
- (E) This option correctly identifies the flaw in the historian's argument, which fails to consider the different cultural and temporal contexts of the revolutions.

Step 3: Conclusion.
The correct answer is (E), as the key flaw lies in overlooking the differences in cultural and temporal contexts.