GMAT Reading Comprehension

Home > GMAT Test > GMAT Reading Comprehension Questions

Next steps

Source: GWD

Level: 3

Many scholars have theorized that economic development, particularly industrialization and urbanization, con-tributes to the growth of participatory democracy; according to this theory, it would seem logical that women would both demand and gain suffrage in ever greater numbers whenever economic development expanded their economic opportunities. However, the economic development theory is inadequate to explain certain historical facts about the implementation of women's suffrage. For example, why was women's suf- frage, instituted nationally in the United States in 1920, not instituted nationally in Switzerland until the 1970's? Industrialization was well advanced in both countries by 1920: over 33 percent of American workers were employed in various industries, as compared to 44 percent of Swiss workers. Granted, Switzerland and the United States diverged in the degree to which the expansion of industry coincided with the degree of urbanization: only 29 percent of the Swiss population lived in cities of 10,000 or more inhabi- tants by 1920. However, urbanization cannot fully explain women's suffrage. Within the United States prior to 1920, for example, only less urbanized states had granted women suffrage. Similarly, less urbanized countries such as Cambodia and Ghana had voting rights for women long before Switzerland did. It is true that Switzerland's urbanized cantons (political subdivisions) generally enacted women's suffrage legislation earlier than did rural cantons. However, these cantons often shared other characteristics—similar linguistic backgrounds and strong leftist parties—that may help to explain this phenomenon.

Question List: 1 2 3

The passage suggests which of the following about urbanization in Switzerland and the United States by 1920?

  • A A greater percentage of Swiss industrial workers than American industrial workers lived in urban areas.
  • B There were more cities of 10,000 or more inhabitants in Switzerland than there were in the United States.
  • C Swiss workers living in urban areas were more likely to be employed in industry than were American workers living in urban areas.
  • D Urbanized areas of Switzerland were more likely than similar areas in the United States to have strong leftist parties.
  • E A greater percentage of the United States population than the Swiss population lived in urban areas.

Show Answer

Previous       Next