Self-study
Families with underage children make up much of the population, but because only adults can vote, lawmakers in democracies pay too little attention to the interests of these families. To remedy this, parents should be given additional votes to cast on behalf of their underage children. Families with underage children would thus receive fair representation.
24.
The argument requires assuming which one of the following principles?
a
The amount of attention that lawmakers give to a group's interests should be directly proportional to the number of voters in that group.
If we follow the author’s recommendation, the number of voters won’t change. The parents will still be the only voters.
Also, (A) is too strong. The interest does not need to be directly proportional.
b
Parents should not be given responsibility for making a decision on their child's behalf unless their child is not mature enough to decide wisely.
We don’t know anything about child maturity. Also, we are not looking to put restrictions on the author’s recommendation.
c
The parents of underage children should always consider the best interests of their children when they vote.
The conclusion is about being fairly represented, and that is independent from voting in your or someone else’s best interest.
Also, an ideal is not the same as reality. (C) is describing an ideal behavior, it doesn’t mean that parents actually practice this.
d
It is not fair for lawmakers to favor the interests of people who have the vote over the interests of people who do not have the vote.
If we were to adopt the author’s recommendation, the negation of (D) is still exactly how the philosophy of lawmaking would function.
If we look at two groups, represented by a vote and not represented by a vote, the argument is only trying to include more people in the represented group. The argument is not saying that we should increase value in the interests of the nonrepresented.
e
A group of people can be fairly represented in a democracy even if some members of that group can vote on behalf of others in that group.
If negated, the author’s recommendation is disqualified based on her goal (fair representation). It must be true that parents can vote on behalf of their children and those children be fairly represented.
This assumption falls under the umbrella of our prediction, i.e. we need to know that these two things can coexist.