Read the excerpt from "Civil Peace" by Chinua Achebe. As soon as the pound notes were placed in his palm Jonathan simply closed it tight over them and buried fist and money inside his trouser pocket. He had to be extra careful because he had seen a man a couple of days earlier collapse into near-madness in an instant before that oceanic crowd because no sooner had he got his twenty pounds than some heartless ruffian picked it off him. What effect does the setting have on Jonathan’s actions? He decides to spend the money quickly so he does not lose it on the way back home. He is cautious with the money because people got robbed more often after the war. He decides to give his money away to the man who lost his because he feels bad for him. He is proud of having more money and lets other people know about it on his way home.

He is cautious with the money because people got robbed more often after the war.

Explanation:

After the civil war that transpired between the Nigerian government and the Biafran people, the Igbo ethnic group who lost all they had were compensated twenty pounds each to begin life again. Given that the money was a meager sum, some had their monies stolen by thieves as was the case of Jonathan.

So the setting which had a large crowd could harbor thieves monitoring people. This made Jonathan cautious with his money so as not to have it stolen.

beginner

government is strong when they have the ability to persuade those they govern to believe government has enough power to force them or should be forcing them to do government’s will.

when enough of the citizenry do not believe government can force them or should force them to do its bidding, government has lost or will lose its strength and power to coerce.

when enough of the citizenry do believe government can force or should force them to do its bidding, they become passive at the least or actively pro-government and repeat government’s own rhetoric to pass on what they have been persuaded by government’s propaganda.

a true majority isn’t always needed to govern or to stop government. many times all that is needed is a strong minority. if a determined 30% of the population rises up against government in a concerted effort to bring it down, this size minority usually will succeed as long as those actively opposing the minority are less in force than the minority. so if 41% of the population sits at home watching tv rooting for one side or the other, they don’t matter. it’s the active parties who make a difference.