Deck 14: Government and the Economy

Question 1

A society such as France or Italy that has an economy based on the production of goods in factories through mechanization would be an example of a(n) ________ society.

A) agrarian
B) industrial
C) postindustrial
D) horticultural

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Monopoly is

A) a market with relatively few sellers.
B) a form of capitalism under which people compete freely, with minimal government intervention.
C) the control of a market by a single business firm.
D) a social institution through which goods and services are produced, distributed, and consumed.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which sociologist originally articulated the concept of the power elite?

A) Max Weber
B) Emile Durkheim
C)
C) Wright Mills
D) Robert Merton

Answer 3

C

Question 4

For many years, there was only one long-distance telephone company in the United States-the American Telephone and Telegraph Company. This company was an example of a(n)

A) monopoly.
B) oligopoly.
C) veto group.
D) pressure group.

Question 5

Which type of society relies chiefly on mechanization for the production of its economic goods and services?

A) agrarian society
B) horticultural society
C) industrial society
D) postmodern society

Question 6

Which sociological perspective would most likely suggest that although pure monopolies are not a basic element of the U.S. economy, competition is still far more restricted than is ideal?

A) functionalist perspective
B) conflict perspective
C) interactionist perspective
D) global perspective

Question 7

Which of the following is a social institution founded on a recognized set of procedures for implementing and achieving the goals of a group?

A) political action committee
B) interest group
C) elite group
D) political system

Question 8

What are the two basic types of economic systems that distinguish contemporary societies?

A) capitalism and communism
B) capitalism and socialism
C) socialism and communism
D) capitalism and democracy

Question 9

According to Zweigenhaft and Domhoff, today's power elite in the U.S. is composed of which of the following?

A) White males
B) African American males
C) White females
D) African American females

Question 10

Adam Smith is associated with

A) European socialism.
B) Asian communism.
C) laissez-faire capitalism.
D) British socialism.

Question 11

Which two theorists were most responsible for refining the theory of socialism?

A) Émile Durkheim and Max Weber
B) Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
C) Max Weber and Adolph Hitler
D) James William Gibson and Adam Smith

Question 12

The sociocultural evolution approach developed by Gerhard Lenski categorizes preindustrial societies according to the way in which the ________ is organized.

A) political system
B) economy
C) religious system
D) All of these answers are correct.

Question 13

A particular computer software manufacturer creates a product that all computers are required to use. The exclusive product allows the manufacturer to dictate prices, standards of quality, and product availability. This manufacturer would be an example of a(n)

A) monopoly.
B) oligopoly.
C) oligarchy.
D) conglomerate.

Question 14

Socialist societies differ from capitalist societies in the commitment of socialist societies to

A) free elections.
B) support of the mass media.
C) the provision of social service programs.
D) None of these answers is correct.

Question 15

Socialism is defined as

A) an economic system under which all property is communally owned and no social distinctions are made on the basis of people's ability to produce.
B) an economic system in which the means of production are largely in private hands and the main incentive for economic activity is the accumulation of profits.
C) an economic system under which the means of production and distribution are collectively owned.
D) None of these answers is correct.

Question 16

Capitalism is an economic system in which

A) the means of production are largely in private hands, and the main incentive for economic activity is the accumulation of profits.
B) all property is communally owned and no social distinctions are made on the basis of people's ability to produce.
C) the means of production and distribution are collectively owned.
D) None of these answers is correct.

Question 17

In which type of economic system is the laissez-faire philosophy rejected, and the central government acting as a representative of the people makes basic economic decisions?

A) informal economy
B) capitalism
C) socialism
D) agrarianism

Question 18

Which of the following created a heightened demand for particular resources within the Democratic Republic of Congo?

A) a market for cell phones, pagers, and laptop computers with electronic circuit boards
B) industrializing nations' increasing military weaponry
C) the increasing greed of jewelry manufacturers
D) All of these answers are correct.

Question 19

Which of the following resources has recently led to unfettered capitalism in the Democratic Republic of Congo?

A) gold
B) diamonds
C) coltan
D) uranium

Question 20

Laissez-faire is a form of ________ under which people compete freely with minimal government intervention in the economy.

A) socialism
B) communism
C) totalitarianism
D) capitalism

Question 21

The exercise of power through a process of persuasion is known as

A) force.
B) influence.
C) pressure.
D) charisma.

Question 22

Which term do we use to refer to an economic system under which all property is communally owned and no social distinctions are made on the basis of people's ability to produce?

A) communism
B) socialism
C) laissez-faire capitalism
D) contemporary capitalism

Question 23

Transfers of money, goods, or services that take place but are not reported to the government are referred to as

A) socialist sanctions.
B) communism.
C) an informal economy.
D) capitalistic profits.

Question 24

After a dinner-table argument with his grown children, a man changes his position on the issue of immigrant refugees being granted asylum in the U.S. His children have exercised what kind of power?

A) force
B) authority
C) legitimacy
D) influence

Question 25

An unlicensed street vendor sells watches, which may have been stolen, from a makeshift stand in New York City's Times Square. Another individual repairs cars for "private" clients in a garage attached to his home. Neither reports their activities to the government. Both of these people are part of

A) a multinational corporation.
B) the informal economy.
C) the private economy.
D) the underground economy.

Question 26

Which term was used by Max Weber to refer to the ability to exercise one's will over others?

A) legitimacy
B) politics
C) influence
D) power

Question 27

The perception that the orders of superiors are legitimate because "this is how things have always been done" is characteristic of a political system based on

A) egalitarian authority.
B) charismatic authority.
C) traditional authority.
D) rational-legal authority.

Question 28

When leaders imprison or even execute political dissidents, they are applying

A) influence.
B) force.
C) authority.
D) All of these answers are correct.

Question 29

Who among the following created a classification system of authority that distinguishes between traditional, rational-legal, and charismatic authority?

A) Michael Harrington
B) Émile Durkheim
C) Karl Marx
D) Max Weber

Question 30

A particular sociology instructor decides what subject matter will be covered each time her class meets. The fact that the instructor can make these decisions and that the students must follow her lead is an example of

A) charisma.
B) power.
C) politics.
D) force.

Question 31

Karl Marx believed that

A) communist societies would naturally evolve out of capitalist societies.
B) socialist societies would naturally evolve out of capitalist societies.
C) communist societies would naturally evolve out of socialist societies.
D) All of these answers are correct.

Question 32

Moses is working on a kibbutz in Israel where all the members have the same standard of living and they equally divide the profits from the citrus crop that is the primary source of income for the community. This kibbutz is an example of which type of economic system?

A) communism
B) informal economy
C) laissez-faire capitalism
D) contemporary capitalism

Question 33

What term do we use to refer to "who gets what, when, and how?"

A) political systems
B) interest groups
C) politics
D) economic systems

Question 34

Which of the following terms refers to power that has been institutionalized and is recognized by the people over whom it is exercised?

A) influence
B) authority
C) legitimacy
D) political efficacy

Question 35

The United States has considered a national health care system that would guarantee medical coverage to all citizens as a basic human right. The government's involvement in providing health care for all citizens is characteristic of which type of economic system?

A) communism
B) socialism
C) laissez-faire capitalism
D) contemporary capitalism

Question 36

Which of the following would most likely be an example of authority?

A) terrorism
B) political dissidents who seize an embassy and assassinate a political leader
C) a newspaper editorial that convinces members of the population to vote for a particular candidate for mayor
D) a person who leads a group because of his or her charming and magnetic personality

Question 37

Traditional authority refers to

A) legitimate power conferred by custom and accepted practice.
B) power made legitimate by a leader's exceptional personal or emotional appeal to his or her followers.
C) power made legitimate by law.
D) None of these answers is correct.

Question 38

Communism is an economic system in which

A) the means of production are largely in private hands, and the main incentive for economic activity is the accumulation of profits.
B) all property is communally owned and no social distinctions are made on the basis of people's ability to produce.
C) the means of production and distribution are collectively owned.
D) None of these answers is correct.

Question 39

In a society with leadership based on rational-legal authority, leaders derive their authority from

A) custom and accepted practice.
B) their exceptional personal or emotional appeal.
C) the written rules and regulations of the political system.
D) threats to use coercion to impose their will on others.

Question 40

Max Weber defined force as

A) the actual or threatened use of coercion to impose one's will on others.
B) the exercise of power through a process of persuasion.
C) the ability to exercise one's will over others.
D) power that has been institutionalized and is recognized by the people over whom it is exercised.

Question 41

Historically, voter turnout has been particularly low among which group?

A) young adults
B) members of racial and ethnic minorities
C) senior citizens
D) the wealthy

Question 42

In the United States, there is a presidential election every four years. After the election, nearly half the population readily accepts the leadership of the person for whom they did not vote. This is an example of

A) egalitarian authority.
B) charismatic authority.
C) traditional authority.
D) rational-legal authority.

Question 43

The English term democracy comes from which language?

A) Greek
B) Roman
C) Egyptian
D) French

Question 44

The United States utilizes which type of government?

A) democracy
B) dictatorship
C) oligarchy
D) representative democracy

Question 45

In which type of government does a single person have nearly total power to make and enforce laws, and rules primarily by coercion?

A) democracy
B) dictatorship
C) oligarchy
D) representative democracy

Question 46

What percentage of Americans have ever contacted an official of national, state, or local government about a political issue or problem?

A) 10 percent
B) 20 percent
C) 40 percent
D) 60 percent

Question 47

Which of the followings statements about Hawai'i is true?

A) Social classes tend to be dominated by White, Japanese and native Hawaiians.
B) Whites form the largest ethnic group, just over Asian Americans.
C) Indigenous people of Hawai'i are looking to gain sovereignty.
D) Compared to the mainland and much of the rest of the world, race relations in Hawai'i are particularly discordant.

Question 48

What percentage of U.S. adults went online to get news information regarding the 2008 presidential election?

A) 11 percent
B) 26 percent
C) 38 percent
D) 55 percent

Question 49

In pointing out that the growth of the electronic media has facilitated the development of charismatic authority, sociologist Carl Couch draws on the

A) functionalist perspective.
B) conflict perspective.
C) interactionist perspective.
D) global perspective.

Question 50

________ authority is derived more from the beliefs of followers than from the actual qualities of leaders.

A) Traditional
B) Rational-legal
C) Charismatic
D) Democratic

Question 51

What term for government do we use to refer to a small group of individuals who rule?

A) democracy
B) dictatorship
C) oligarchy
D) representative democracy

Question 52

Which of the following statements about political apathy in the U.S. is correct?

A) Studies reveal that only 8 percent of the people in the U.S. belong to a political club or organization.
B) Half the people in the U.S. have contacted a national, state, or local official about a political issue or problem.
C) Only a small minority of all citizens are familiar with the political process in the U.S., and very few tend to identify with a political party.
D) None of these answers is correct.

Question 53

Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Adolf Hitler, and Joan of Arc were all leaders who used their respective power to press for changes in accepted social behavior. Their respective power came from what kind of authority?

A) egalitarian authority
B) charismatic authority
C) traditional authority
D) rational-legal authority

Question 54

In what year did women receive the right to vote in national elections?

A) 1776
B) 1825
C) 1875
D) 1920

Question 55

Which form of government is led by a single member of a royal family?

A) democracy
B) dictatorship
C) oligarchy
D) monarchy

Question 56

In a society with leadership based on charismatic authority, leaders derive their authority from

A) custom and accepted practice.
B) their exceptional personal or emotional appeal.
C) the written rules and regulations of the political system.
D) threats to use coercion to impose their will on others.

Question 57

Roughly what percentage of citizens in the U.S. voted in the 2012 general election?

A) 84.3 percent
B) 75.5 percent
C) 61.8 percent
D) 51.8 percent

Question 58

Totalitarianism is a form of

A) oligarchy.
B) dictatorship.
C) monarchy.
D) representative democracy.

Question 59

A decline in political participation allows governments to

A) become dictatorships.
B) be held to higher standards.
C) operate with less accountability.
D) become more efficient.

Question 60

Your textbook identifies which of the following countries as one in which the monarch still holds genuine governmental power?

A) Great Britain
B) France
C) Monaco
D) Denmark

Question 61

Typically, microloans are less than $600 and often as little as

A) $100.
B) $50.
C) $30.
D) $20.

Question 62

Dianne Pinderhughes has criticized ________ for failing to account for the exclusion of African Americans from the political process.

A) multinational corporations
B) political action committees
C) the Christian Coalition
D) the pluralist model

Question 63

Which country has the highest percentage of females represented in legislative houses?

A) Iran
B) Haiti
C) Rwanda
D) Canada

Question 64

Sociologists Theodore Caplow and Louis Hicks have defined ________ as conflict between organizations that possess trained combat forces equipped with deadly weapons.

A) terrorism
B) war
C) pluralism
D) strife

Question 65

Utilizing Erving Goffman's dramaturgical approach, Alfred McClung Lee has suggested that terrorism

A) always pits the powerful against the have-nots.
B) always has a religious basis.
C) is similar to the theater, in that certain scenes are played out in a predictable fashion.
D) always pits the powerful against the have-nots and is similar to the theater, in that certain scenes are played out in a predictable fashion.

Question 66

What do we mean when we use the term fiesta politics?

A) Mexican-style politics in national races
B) White power brokers showing up in ethnic neighborhoods for support, then leaving
C) disguising real problems under fluffy symbolic language
D) the huge amount of waste and surplus in federal spending bills

Question 67

According the Global Peace Index, the United States falls within which category of peace?

A) very high
B) high
C) medium
D) low

Question 68

According to

A) corporate-conservative coalition
B) liberal-labor coalition
C) environmental-elite coalition
D) policy-formation coalition
G) William Domhoff's model of the political power structure, to which coalition would colleges and universities likely belong?

Question 69

The pluralist model of power relations in the United States suggests that

A) power is concentrated in the hands of a small group of military, corporate, and political leaders.
B) power is held by many competing groups that have access to government, so no single group is dominant.
C) power is held by a group of charismatic leaders.
D) power is concentrated in the hands of a small group of military, corporate, and political leaders and is held by a group of charismatic leaders.

Question 70

Which recent event was reminiscent of Philip Zimbardo's mock prison experiment conducted in 1971?

A) the invasion of Kuwaiti jails
B) the Abu Ghraib prison scandal
C) the terrorist attacks of 9/11
D) None of these answers is correct.

Question 71

Which model of power relations suggests that society is ruled by a small group of individuals who share a common set of political and economic interests?

A) pluralist model
B) elite model
C) functionalist model
D) interactionist model

Question 72

According to the Global Peace Index, which nation is at the top or is otherwise considered "very peaceful?"

A) Iran
B) Denmark
C) Jamaica
D) Ecuador

Question 73

A) functionalist perspective
B) conflict perspective
C) interactionist perspective
D) global perspective
G) William Domhoff's view of the power structure of the United States most closely resembles the analysis of which sociological perspective?

Question 74

Lending small sums of money to the poor so they can work their way out of poverty is referred to as

A) outsourcing.
B) microfinancing.
C) offshoring.
D) None of these answers is correct.

Question 75

How many U.S. senators out of 100 were Asian American in 2011?

A) 79
B) 17
C) 5
D) 1

Question 76

Which of the following is predictable in the aftermath of a terrorist attack?

A) Terrorists admit responsibility for the attack.
B) Terrorists deny having any knowledge of the attack.
C) Terrorists give public interviews to denounce the enemy.
D) None of these answers is correct.

Question 77

Which of the following terms did

A) warlords
B) opinion leaders
C) Wright Mills use to refer to the military leaders of the power elite at the top of his pyramid structure?
C) exploited masses
D) the interactionists

Question 78

A recent analysis of newspaper coverage of female gubernatorial candidates indicated that

A) newspaper coverage focused more often on the personal life, appearance, or personality of a female candidate than it did on that of a male candidate.
B) newspaper articles are more likely to illustrate political issues with statements made by female candidates.
C) newspapers often fail to cover the political rallies of female candidates.
D) male and female candidates have received equal treatment by the news media in recent elections.

Question 79

How many U.S. senators out of 100 were women in early 2014?

A) 50
B) 35
C) 27
D) 20

Question 80

What term do we use to refer to the use or threat of violence against random or symbolic targets in pursuit of political aims?

A) politics
B) terrorism
C) hard negotiation
D) war