esperanto_story1-3, Exercise 3: "Esperanto survived because it was easier"

Model answer (check the details):

Who says it: Esperanto historians and supporters, nearly always; it is a standard explanation.

Evidence in this chapter that supports it: accounts of Volapük's complex grammar and altered vocabulary; the rapid spread of Esperanto among former Volapük users; the first-hand reports of people learning from the book in weeks.

Evidence that complicates it: many learners found both languages hard at first; Volapük's decline is also blamed on its founder's control and on quarrels; Esperanto's rise coincided with different circumstances, such as new clubs and journals and a more established network of correspondence.

What is missing: comparative data on learners and drop-out rates, independent tests of learning time, and statements from people who left Volapük and said why.

Verdict: plausible as one factor, not proved as the cause.

Care: "easier" is a claim about learning, and needs evidence beyond the opinion of supporters.