Passage Summary: A sociologist claims the welfare state won't work because it requires people to be selfless, but in reality, people are naturally selfish—especially when their own interests are at stake.

Conclusion: The welfare state is an impossible goal because it is based on an incorrect view of human nature.

Reasoning: The welfare state requires wage earners to be unselfish with their earnings to help others, but humans are naturally inclined to prioritize their own well-being.

Analysis: This is an 'Identify the Conclusion' question, so our job is to find the author's main point without worrying about whether the logic is actually sound. The first sentence contains the main claim, while the word 'because' immediately following it signals that the rest of the passage is providing support. It seems the sociologist has a rather cynical view of our collective holiday spirit, but for this question type, we simply need to point to that opening claim as the primary destination of the argument.