Deck 3: Fast Food Blues: Work in a Global Economy

Question 1

Wage labor is a relatively recent historical development. Which of the following structural changes is it associated with?

A) Development of large-scale agriculture.
B) Development of capitalism.
C) Development of service economy.
D) Development of global commodity chains.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

According to Marx, alienation is caused by the relationships between:

A) Workers and the nation-state
B) Workers and managers
C) Workers and employers
D) Employers and the nation-state

Answer 2

C

Question 3

It is likely that most workers employed in arms manufacturing do not support recent global expansion of armed conflict. If this is so, the situation of these workers is an example of:

A) globalization
B) deunionization
C) unionization
D) alienation

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the following is the most likely to benefit from the development of transnational corporations?

A) Global capitalist class
B) International working class
C) The Global South
D) The Global West

Question 5

According to research discussed in the textbook, how did racism influence working and living conditions of indigenous Mexican migrant workers on farms in the Pacific Northwest?

A) It naturalized harsh working conditions.
B) It justified a policy initiative to help the workers.
C) It made working permits more difficult to obtain.
D) It justified exempting them from minimum wage legislation.

Question 6

How does CEO/worker pay discrepancy in the U.S. fast-food industry relate to this discrepancy in other areas of the economy?

A) It is lower than in other areas of the U.S. economy.
B) It is higher than in other areas of the U.S. economy.
C) It is lower than in the Swiss fast-food industry.
D) It is lower than in the Chinese fast-food industry.

Question 7

Which of the following is the best example of capitalist ideology, as Marxists define this concept?

A) The belief in immortality of the soul
B) Aboriginal respect for elders
C) The American dream
D) Canadian enthusiasm for hockey

Question 8

Harpreet works in an employment agency. She has many ideas about helping her clients find work, but is not allowed to implement them because of company policies. Which characteristic of bureaucracy is limiting her ability to help her clients?

A) Ritualism
B) Hierarchy
C) The "glass ceiling"
D) The "iron cage"

Question 9

Many Canadian tourists like the fact that a "Burger King" meal in Budapest is likely to be nearly identical to a "Burger King" meal in Toronto. Which characteristic of McDonaldization does this illustrate?

A) Efficiency
B) Calculability
C) Predictability
D) Control

Question 10

According to Ritzer, McDonaldized companies are efficient from the standpoint of their:

A) owners
B) employees
C) customers
D) suppliers

Question 11

According to the textbook, which of the following has caused a decline in trade union density in North America in the past few decades?

A) Decline of service industry
B) Decline of manufacturing
C) Political extremism of trade unions
D) Political extremism of employer associations

Question 12

Which of the following is the least likely to be unionized?

A) A GM automotive plant
B) A government department
C) A McDonald's restaurant
D) An oil refinery

Question 13

By pointing out that social movements need the same kind of resources as other organizations, resource mobilization perspective criticizes the previous tendency to focus on one of the following characteristics of social movements. Which one?

A) Alleged corruption among their leaders.
B) Their alleged utopian character.
C) Their alleged ties with the government.
D) Alleged deviance of their members.

Question 14

The way a social movement frames its goals may influence the following factor of its success:

A) its legitimacy in the eyes of the public
B) its access to government funding
C) its organizational capacity
D) its financial know-how

Question 15

Define classes in capitalism, according to Marx. Illustrate the definitions with examples from North American society today.

Question 16

What are "McJobs"? Describe their overall effects on workers.

Question 17

What are the main aspects of alienation? Give an example of each.

Question 18

Define hegemony. Describe an example of hegemony that justifies inequalities in today's North American society.

Question 19

Why does Ritzer write that "irrationality of rationality" is one of aspects of McDonaldization?

Question 20

What are social movements? Describe ONE of the ways in which sociologists explain their success.