Analytical Reasoning – Power structures and consensus: In a highly centralized power setup where even senior cabinet ministers become yes-men who anticipate or mirror the Prime Minister’s views, genuine consensus is replaced by orchestrated unanimity endorsing the leader’s actions. Determine which conclusions must follow: (I) Ministers play safe by avoiding anti-government views; (II) The Prime Minister does not encourage colleagues to present their own independent views.
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AOnly conclusion I follows
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BOnly conclusion II follows
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CEither I or II follows
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DNeither I nor II follows
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EBoth I and II follow
Answer
Correct Answer: Both I and II follow
Explanation
Given data
- Premise: Centralized power → ministers reduce themselves to yes-men; consensus is merely contrived unanimity endorsing the leader.
- Conclusion I: Ministers avoid anti-government/dissenting views.
- Conclusion II: The PM does not encourage colleagues’ independent views.
Concept/ApproachIf ministers are 'yes-men', dissent is suppressed and independent advice is disincentivized. Both conclusions are immediate implications.
Step-by-step evaluation• From 'yes-men' behavior and orchestrated endorsements, it follows that airing anti-government views would not occur → I follows.• A climate that yields contrived unanimity rather than real consensus implies the leader discourages independent input → II follows.
VerificationIf ministers did air independent/anti views, the observed 'orchestrated unanimity' would break. Likewise, if the PM encouraged independent views, ministers would not reduce themselves to yes-men.
Common pitfalls
- Reading 'consensus' as genuine agreement rather than coerced unanimity described here.
Final AnswerBoth I and II follow.