broader perspectives 2014 03 compre answers

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COMPREHENSION2014 BROADER PERSPECTIVES The Institutions Issue

COMPREHENSION

CONTENT

NAME CLASS

/35M /15M /50M

LANGUAGE TOTAL

The Hollow Republic

Comprehension Answers available at www.broaderperspectives.com.sg & www.twitter.com/ThinkTankMags

QUESTIONS ATTACHED

THE SPACE

BETWEEN THEINDIVIDUAL ANDTHE STATE

Yuval Levin


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COMPREHENSION2014 BROADER PERSPECTIVES The Institutions Issue

President Obama must surely wish he could undo the campaign speech he delivered in Roanoke,

on 13 July 2012. That was where he offered up the view that if youve got a business, you didntbuild that, somebody else made that happen. It is a line that could haunt him right to November,revealing as it does an unwillingness to creditindividual success and a sense of hostility toward

the culture of entrepreneurship. But the remark came in the context of a broader argument thatwas just as telling on a different point, and no less troubling. After laying out his plans to raisetaxes on the wealthiest Americans, the president said this to his audience: You know, the Internetdidnt get invented on its own. Government research created the Internet so that all the companies

could make money off the Internet. The point is that when we succeed, we succeed because ofour individual initiative, but also because we do things together. This remarkable window into thepresidents thinking shows us not only a man chilly toward the potential of individual initiative, butalso a man with a staggeringly thin idea of common action in American life. The president simply

equates doing things together with doing things through government. He sees the citizen andthe state, and nothing in between and thus could be said to see every political question as achoice between radical individualism and a federal program. But most of life is lived somewhere

between those two extremes, and American life in particular has given rise to unprecedentedhuman ourishing because we have allowed the institutions that occupy the middle ground thefamily, civil society, and the private economy to thrive in relative freedom. What is disconcerting and a grave concern is how Obamas attitude toward that middle ground is increasingly

characteristic of many modern day governments across the world.

Again and again, we have witnessed many governments that have sought to hollow out the

space between the individual and the state. Their approach to the private economy has involvedpursuing consolidation in key industries privileging a few major players that are to be treatedessentially as public utilities, while locking out competition from smaller or newer rms. This bothensures the cooperation of the large players and makes the economy more manageable and

orderly. And it leaves no one pursuing ends that are not the governments ends. This has been theessence of the governments policies toward automakers, health insurers, banks, hospitals, andmany others.

It is an attitude that takes the wealth-creation capacity of our economy for granted, treats thechaotic churning and endless combat of competing rms (which in fact is the source of thatcapacity) as a dangerous distraction from essential public goals, and considers the business world

to be a parasite beneting from the infrastructure and resources provided by the genuinecommon action of the state. Of course, the states benevolence is made possible precisely by thenations wealthiest citizens, but it increasingly seems to be that governments are adopting the

view that this is simply an appropriate degree of giving something back. The positions of political

Privacy Matters

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Why Privacy Matters Even if You Have Nothing to Hide by Daniel J. Solove,

for the purposes of the A level General Paper


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COMPREHENSION

This difference of opinion about mediating institutions is no triing matter. It gets at a profound andfundamental difference between the Left and the Right. The Left tends to believe that the greatadvantage of our liberal society is that it enables the application of technical knowledge that can

make our lives better, and that this knowledge can overcome our biggest problems. This is thetechnocratic promise of progressivism. The Right tends to believe that the great advantage of ourliberal society is that it has evolved to channel deep social knowledge through free institutions knowledge that often cannot be articulated in technical terms but is the most important knowledge

we have. For the Left, therefore, the mediating institutions (and at times even our constitutionalforms) are obstacles to the application of liberal knowledge. For the Right, the mediatinginstitutions (and our constitutional forms) are the embodiment of liberal knowledge.

This attitude toward mediating institutions is by no means novel or unique. It has been essential tothe progressive cause for more than a century, and indeed has been an element of more radicalstrands of liberalism for far longer than that. As far back as 1791, Thomas Paine, in defending

the French revolutionaries, complained of the distance that traditional institutions establishedbetween the citizen and the regime, which he described as an articial chasm [that] is lled upwith a succession of barriers through which [the citizen] has to pass. Conservative voices havedefended these mediating layers precisely for creating such barriers, which can guard the citizen

from direct exposure to the searing power of the state. Alexis de Tocqueville celebrated Americasbewildering array of associations, institutions, and corporations of civil society for their ability tooffer individual citizens some protection from the domineering sway of political majorities.

Thus, Obamas exceptionally revealing description of America in his Roanoke remarks points to akey dividing line in our politics, and to a central issue of contention for all interest groups. And so,if we want to create communities where we are truly free, then surely we must continue to speak

out against the juggernaut that threatens to trample our cherished institutions underfoot.

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Adapted fromThe Hollow Republic by Yuval Levin

for the purposes of the A level General Paper

2014 BROADER PERSPECTIVES The Institutions Issue


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THE HOLLOW REPUBLIC

Comprehension Questions

1 Explain what the author means by the expression could haunt him (line 3)? [1]

2 What does this different point refer to (line 6)? [1]

3 In what way does the author consider the Presidents thinking to be chilly toward the

potential of individual initiative (lines 11)? [2]



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4 According to the author, why has there been unprecedented human ourishing in American

life (line 16-17)? Use your own words as far as possible [2]

5 What do the words in the parenthesis (lines 30-31) reveal to us about the authors attitude, and

the reasons for his attitude, towards the endless combating of competing rms? [2]

6 Why is the word genuine in inverted commas in line 36? [1]



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THE HOLLOW REPUBLIC

7 What do rules such as the HHS rule (paragraph 4) implicitly assert (line 54)? Use your own

words as far as possible. [3]

8 Explain the meaning of the phrase radical assertion of government power? (line 58) [1]

9 Why is this difference of opinion no triing matter (line 70)? [1]



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THE HOLLOW REPUBLIC

10 What does the quote in lines 84-85 suggest about Thomas Paines view of institutions? [2] Use

your own words as far as possible.

11 What does this juggernaut refer to (line 93)? [1]

12 Summarise how and why governments seek to hollow out the space between the individual

and the state. [8]

Using material from paragraphs 2-4, write your summary in no more than 120 words, not counting the

opening words which are given below. Use your own words as far as possible.

Seeking to hollow out the space between the individual and the state, governments have



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13 Yuval has considered the shortfalls of giving priority and credit to group contribution when it

comes to success, and how this undermines individual efforts. How is contribution viewed or

acknowledged in your society? [10]


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THE HOLLOW REPUBLIC

Comprehension Answers

1 Explain what the author means by the expression could haunt him (line 3)? [1]

The author means that President Obama might regret (1/2) what he had said for his detractors couldpossibly continue to highlight his message and use it against him and his election campaign (1/2).

2 What does this different point refer to (line 6)? [1]

It refers to how the author was troubled most by the Presidents amazingly shallow notion (1/2) of

common action in American life because the latter merely equated doing things together with doing

things through government (1/2).

3 In what way does the author consider the Presidents thinking to be chilly toward the

potential of individual initiative (lines 11)? [2]

The author highlights how the President downplayed/dismissed (1/2) the possible gains of an

individuals resourcefulness (1/2) when a businessman/an individual succeeded and instead attributed

(1/2) the success to the collective efforts of society and government (1/2).

4 According to the author, why has there been unprecedented human ourishing in American

life (line 16-17)? Use your own words as far as possible [2]

Line Lifted Paraphrased

16-18 American life in particular has given rise to

unprecedented human ourishing becausewe have allowed the institutions (1/2)

that occupy the middle ground (1/2)

the family, civil society, and the private

economy to thrive (1/2)in relative

freedom (1/2).

There has been a human prospering

that has never been witnessed beforebecause America has allowed the entities/

organisations (1/2)that stand between

the individual and the government (1/2)

such as the family, civil society, and the

private economy, to have a fair amount of

liberty (1/2)to ourish (1/2).

5 What do the words in the parenthesis (lines 30-31) reveal to us about the authors attitude, and

the reasons for his attitude, towards the endless combating of competing rms? [2]

They reveal to us that the author, in contrast with the view of many governments (1/2), holds a positive

view (1/2) towards the endless combating of competing rms because he believes that it is precisely in

this kind of never-ending competition that the American economy nds its ability to create wealth (1).

6 Why is the word genuine in inverted commas in line 36? [1]

The author is trying to confer a sarcastic tone (1/2) and to cast doubt on the actual contribution/

involvement by the state (1/2).



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7 What do rules such as the HHS rule (paragraph 4) implicitly assert (line 54)? Use your own

words as far as possible. [3]

Line Lifted Paraphrased

54-57 Such rules implicitly assert that our

governments will not tolerate institutions

(1/2)that are unwilling to actively (1/2)

ratify the views of those in power (1/2)

that there will be no acceptance of

differing views and attemptsto nd other

ways (1/2)to put those views into effect

(even though many other ways exist), but

will instead compel it (1/2)to participate

in the enactment of the ends chosen by

elected ofcials (1/2).

Such rules implicitly claim that our

governments will notpermit the existence

of organisations (1/2) that are reluctant

to take the initiative (1/2)to formally

approve the opinions of those who

are governing (1/2)that they will not

embrace different perspectives and

endeavours to fnd other avenues (1/2) to

implement their views but instead force

(1/2) the organisations to be involved in

carrying out the goals selected by the

governments (1/2).

8 Explain the meaning of the phrase radical assertion of government power? (line 58) [1]

It means an extreme enforcement (1/2) of force by the elected authorities (1/2).

9 Why is this difference of opinion no triing matter (line 70)? [1]

It is no trivial matter as the views are in direct (1/2) and irreconcilable (1/2) opposition with each other.

10 What does the quote in lines 84-85 suggest about Thomas Paines view of institutions? [2] Use

your own words as far as possible.

Line Lifted Paraphrased84-85 articial (1/2) chasm (1/2)[that] is lled

upwith a succession of barriers (1/2)

through which [the citizen] has to pass.

It suggests that he views institutions as

unnecessary/a nuisance (1/2) [inferred]as

they a manmade gulf (1/2)that is replete

with a series of obstacles (1/2)through

which the governed person in the country

has to overcome (1/2).

11 What does this juggernaut refer to (line 93)? [1]

It refers to the huge and powerful force (1/2) called the state/government (1/2).

12 Summarise how and why governments seek to hollow out the space between the individual

and the state. [8]

Using material from paragraphs 2-4, write your summary in no more than 120 words, not counting the

opening words which are given below. Use your own words as far as possible.

Seeking to hollow out the space between the individual and the state, governments have

Lifted Paraphrased

From para 2:

Their approach to the private economy

has involved pursuing consolidation in

key industries

From para 2:

sought to gather together in main sectors



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THE HOLLOW REPUBLIC

privileging a few major playersthat are to be the big rms by favouring them

treated essentially as public utilities, as necessary infrastructure

while locking out competition from smaller or

newer rms.

and preventing smaller ones from competing,

ensures the cooperation of the largeplayers and makes the economy more (a)

manageable and (b) orderly.

making it easier to (a) control and (b) organise

the economy

And it leaves no one pursuing ends that

are not the governments ends.

as everyone will then seek the countrys

goals.

Para 3:

takes the wealth-creation capacity of our

economy for granted, treats the chaotic

churning and endless combat of

competing rms

Para 3:

They regard competition among rms as

(which in fact is the source of that capacity)as a dangerous distraction from essential

public goals,and

diluting focus on necessary national objectives

considers the business world to a parasite

beneting from the infrastructure and resources

provided by the genuine common action of the

state.

and hence views the industries as benetting

freely from society.

The positions of political leaders and actions

by their administrations imply the view that

government is the only genuine tribune

of public desires, imply that he views the

government as the only genuine tribune of

public desires,

They see the state as the true champion of public

wishes

and therefore seeks justication in

harnessing the private economy to the

purposes and goals of those in power.

and aim to utilize the business world for

governmental objectives.

Para 4:

Thisintolerance of nonconformityis

even more powerfully evident in the shifts in

the governmental administration attitudes

toward the institutions of civil society,especially religious institutions involved in

the crucial work of helping the needy and

vulnerable.

Para 4:

They required also institutions of civil society to

conform

The aim increasingly appears to be to turn

the institutions of civil society into active

agents of the governments ends,

by forcing the latter to further governmental goals

even in violation of their fundamental

religious convictions.

even in infringement of their spiritual beliefs,

appalling contempt demonstrating their disdain

for the basic right of religious institutionsto pursue their ends in accordance with their

convictions is undeniable.

for the fundamental entitlements of spiritualorganisations.

(114 Words) Award full marks for 14-16 key phrases.



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THE HOLLOW REPUBLIC

13 Yuval has considered the shortfalls of giving priority and credit to group contribution when it

comes to success, and how this undermines individual efforts. How is contribution viewed or

acknowledged in your society? [10]

This passage is about the authors views on how governments (such as Obamas administration) that

do not respect the roles of institutions of civil society and the role individual efforts play in the economy

are posing a threat to the promotion of individual initiative and an entrepreneurial culture. It also relays

the authors concern about the increasing monolithic reach of the state and sounds the clarion call for

us to preserve the middle ground that institutions of civil society occupies, for they are instrumental in

protecting the individual from overwhelming governmental interference and power.

Key arguments/threads of thoughts that students can consider are:

a) Yuval lambasts a dismissive attitude towards the potential of individual initiative as it reveals an

unwillingness to credit success and a sense of hostility towards the culture of entrepreneurship. How

does Singapore fare in this area? Do we downplay the effort of the individual in favour of focusing on

how individual success is only possible because of community contribution?

b) Yuval also frowns upon the attitude of viewing endless competition as a negative thing, as a

distraction from concerted governmental action. He does not agree with the view that individual rms

should give up their respective pursuits for the sake of group goals such as that of the government.

What is the Singaporean societys views on such matters?

c) Is there anything unique or different about the Singapore context, e.g. culture, size, trust in political

leaders, etc, that makes it easier for individuals to sacrice their personal interests for the sake ofcollective public interests?

d) Candidates can also consider how a greater focus on group contribution can lead to a long-term

erosion of the rights and value of the individual unit, and even a near totalitarian power of the state.

e) They can also discuss instances of public recognition of successful entrepreneurs in the country on

the part of the state in order to foster a stronger enthusiasm for entrepreneurship.


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