In a research paper, a student criticizes some historians of modern African politics, claiming that they have evaluated Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, primarily as a symbol rather than in terms of his actions.
Which quotation from a work by a historian would best illustrate the student’s claim?
Explanation
Context: A student criticizes historians who have evaluated Patrice Lumumba primarily as a symbol rather than for his actual actions. The question asks which historian quote best illustrates this symbolic-over-practical tendency.
Answer: C) "Lumumba's practical accomplishments can be passed over quickly; it is mainly as the personification of Congolese independence that he warrants scholarly attention."
Why? This historian explicitly dismisses Lumumba's practical accomplishments ("passed over quickly") and says what matters is his symbolic role ("personification of Congolese independence"). This is the exact pattern the student criticizes — valuing the symbol over the actions.
Traps:
- A) "Lumumba is a difficult figure to evaluate due to the starkly conflicting opinions about him" → about evaluative difficulty, not about privileging symbol over action
- B) "the available information makes it clear that Lumumba's political beliefs..." → about his beliefs/ideology, not about his symbolic vs. practical treatment
- D) "Many questions remain about Lumumba's ultimate vision for an independent Congo" → about unresolved questions regarding his vision, not about treating him primarily as a symbol