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LSAT Preptest 154, Section 1, Question 2

"Classicist: In the ancient Athenian democracy…"

Explanation

A. The argument does not depend on the assumption that most political systems in history have not been democracies; it makes a specific claim about the uniqueness of Athenian democracy. 


B. While public debate was a feature of Athenian democracy, the classicist's conclusion does not depend on the assumption that public debate is essential for any democracy. 


C. The classicist's argument is not about whether Athens was the only city in ancient Greece with a democracy but about the nature of democracy itself. 


D. (Correct Response) The classicist's argument hinges on the assumption that true democracy is characterized by the direct voting on political decisions by all eligible voters. This premise is necessary for the conclusion that only ancient Athens had a true democracy because it is the only known political system where this occurred. 


E. The classicist's argument does not depend on the assumption that most eligible Athenian voters attended the Assembly; it focuses on the system that allowed direct voting.

Option D is what the classicist's argument logically depends upon to reach the conclusion that true democracy existed only in ancient Athens.

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