In this passage about democracy and dictatorship, choose the adjective that best completes the phrase: “with dramatic success, under _______ conditions.”

Introduction / Context:
The final blank in this democracy dictatorship passage focuses on the type of conditions under which dictators may rise quickly and establish a new regime. The phrase “with dramatic success, under _______ conditions” hints that these circumstances are special or unusual compared to normal democratic growth.

Given Data / Assumptions:

1) The relevant fragment is: “dictators may rise to power and establish a new regime with dramatic success, under _______ conditions”.
2) The options are: profitable, unfavourable, suitable, peculiar.
3) The earlier part of the sentence states that democracy is always a slow growth.
4) Dictatorship here appears as a dramatic, exceptional development.
5) The chosen adjective must match the idea of rare or special conditions.

Concept / Approach:
The word “peculiar” in formal writing often means “particular, special, or unusual”, not just “strange”. Saying “under peculiar conditions” emphasises that the conditions favouring dictatorships are not the normal, everyday conditions in which democracy develops slowly. Words like “profitable”, “unfavourable” or “suitable” do not capture this nuance in the same way.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Interpret the sentence: democracy takes time; dictators sometimes succeed quickly when special conditions arise. Step 2: Test “profitable”: this focuses on money or economic gain and does not directly describe political circumstances that favour dictators. Step 3: Test “unfavourable”: “unfavourable conditions” usually hinder success, not produce dramatic success. Step 4: Test “suitable”: “suitable conditions” are merely appropriate; they do not emphasise rarity or unusual character. Step 5: Test “peculiar”: “under peculiar conditions” suggests special, particular, sometimes abnormal circumstances. Step 6: Since dictatorships often arise in exceptional crises or unusual social situations, “peculiar” matches the idea best.

Verification / Alternative check:
Read the full sentence with “peculiar”: “The conditions under which democracy can flourish are difficult to define; but one thing is clear, that democracy is always a slow growth, whereas dictators may rise to power and establish a new regime with dramatic success, under peculiar conditions.” The flow and meaning are coherent: democracy grows slowly in general, but dictators exploit unusual circumstances.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
“profitable” would make the sentence sound as if dictatorships depend mainly on financial gain, which is not the focus here. “unfavourable” contradicts the phrase “with dramatic success”, because unfavourable conditions would normally prevent success. “suitable” is too weak and general; it does not highlight that these conditions are unusual.

Common Pitfalls:
Some learners misinterpret “peculiar” only as “odd” or “funny” and therefore avoid it, but in formal contexts it often simply means “particular” or “characteristic”. Others choose “suitable” because it sounds safe, without noticing that the writer wants to stress that dictators’ success depends on special, not ordinary, circumstances. Always consider the subtle tone of the passage, not just the dictionary meaning of individual words.

Final Answer:
The adjective that best completes the sentence is peculiar.