According to Duverger's law, countries with single-ballot majoritarian elections for single-member districts tend to polarize into two-party systems, ...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
According to Duverger's law, countries with single-ballot majoritarian elections for single-member districts tend to polarize into two-party systems, wherein dueling political parties consistently dominate the political system. _______ countries with proportional-representation electoral systems tend to support multi-partyism, under which power gets distributed among many political parties.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
Subsequently,
Conversely,
For instance,
In other words,
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "According to Duverger's law, countries with single-ballot majoritarian elections for single-member districts tend to polarize into two-party systems, wherein dueling political parties consistently dominate the political system." |
|
| [MISSING TRANSITION] |
|
| "countries with proportional-representation electoral systems tend to support multi-partyism, under which power gets distributed among many political parties." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Different electoral systems produce different party structures - majoritarian systems create two-party dominance while proportional systems create multi-party distribution.
Argument Flow: The passage presents Duverger's law about how one type of electoral system leads to two-party dominance, then contrasts this with how a different electoral system leads to the opposite outcome.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Before the blank: single-ballot systems create two-party dominance
- After the blank: proportional systems create multi-party distribution
- These represent opposite outcomes from different electoral systems
- The connector should signal contrast or opposition
Subsequently,
✗ Incorrect
- Indicates time sequence, but passage compares simultaneous systems, not temporal progression
Conversely,
✓ Correct
- Signals direct contrast or opposition, perfectly capturing the relationship between two-party dominance and multi-party distribution
For instance,
✗ Incorrect
- Introduces examples, but proportional systems are not examples of two-party systems
In other words,
✗ Incorrect
- Signals restatement, but these are opposite concepts, not restatements