8. The stable functioning of a society depends upon the relatively long-term stability of the goals of its citizens. This is clear from the fact that unless the majority of individuals have a predictable and enduring set of aspirations, it will be impossible for a legislature to craft laws that will augment the satisfaction of the citizenry, and it should be obvious that a society is stable only if its laws tend to increase the happiness of its citizens.
The claim that a society is stable only if its laws tend to increase the happiness of its citizens plays which one of the following roles in the argument?
(A) It is the conclusion of the argument.
(B) It helps to support the conclusion of the argument.
(C) It is a claim that must be refuted if the conclusion is to be established.
(D) It is a consequence of the argument.
(E) It is used to illustrate the general principle that the argument presupposes.

我想请教一下大家，E和B项的区别。

我选的是E,答案是B. 因为我觉得a society is stable only if its laws tend to increase the happiness of its citizens.这算是个原则。

谢谢大家阿指点下我。