Deck 9: Economy and Politics

Question 1

Although there are small differences in meaning between the terms power and authority, most sociologists use the terms interchangeably.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

To what extent does the U.S. Congress accurately "represent" the population of the United States? What might be the advantages and disadvantages of establishing quotas for under-represented groups in order to provide for more accurate representation?

Answer 2

No Answer

Question 3

Critics of the ______ model argue that it fails to address the potential power of elites to keep certain matters entirely out of the realm of public debate.

A) functionalist
B) pluralist
C) conflict
D) political

Answer 3

pluralist

Question 4

In June 2009, when General Motors went bankrupt, ______ became its majority stockholder.

A) Ford Motor Company
B) Daimler Chrysler
C) the city of Detroit
D) the U.S. government

Question 5

Offshoring is a type of

A) illegal money transfer.
B) affirmative action.
C) national betrayal.
D) outsourcing.

Question 6

Which of the following is True about monarchy?

A) It remains a popular form of government in the 21^st century.
B) It was traditionally based on a divine right to rule.
C) It is incompatible with other forms of government.
D) It is a form of government headed by the strongest warrior.

Question 7

Which of the following tends to occur when there is lower voter turnout?

A) Individuals are more likely to feel as though their voices are being heard.
B) Female politicians tend to exercise political power more forcefully.
C) Minorities tend to make up a much larger segment of the voting population.
D) Politicians are less likely to address issues of concern to marginalized groups.

Question 8

A recent trend is that U.S. companies are shifting ______ to developing countries.

A) their headquarters
B) service-sector jobs
C) factory jobs
D) unskilled labor jobs

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT a principle of capitalism, according to Adam Smith?

A) pursuit of profit
B) competition in the market
C) laissez-faire
D) public ownership of utilities

Question 10

Which type of authority is derived from the beliefs of followers rather than from the actual qualities of leaders?

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

Question 11

Socialism is defined as an economic system in which

A) the means of production and distribution in a society are collectively owned.
B) all property is privately owned and the government stays out of the marketplace.
C) the means of production in a society are largely in public hands.
D) the means of production and distribution in a society are largely in private hands.

Question 12

How is power related to authority? Differentiate between the various types of authority as outlined by Max Weber. Provide real-world examples to illustrate your answer.

Question 13

The conflict perspective is a sociological paradigm that focuses on power and the allocation of valued resources in society.

Question 14

Identify and explain the four key principles of capitalism as outlined by Adam Smith. How well do real-world capitalist societies live up to these ideals? To what extent does this failure provide a justification for government intervention in the economy?

Question 15

Which of the following statements about political behavior in the United States is correct?

A) Both answer choices are correct.
B) Neither answer choice is correct.
C) Voter participation rates were highest from 1848 to 1896.
D) Voter participation has increased in the twenty-first century.

Question 16

The systematic, widespread reduction of investment in domestic manufacturing and material production is known as

A) microeconomics.
B) deindustrialization.
C) downsizing.
D) modernization.

Question 17

The pluralist model of power relations is a view of society in which

A) a small group of individuals who share common political and economic interests take charge.
B) many competing groups within the community have access to government so that no single group is dominant.
C) Neither answer choice is correct.
D) Both answer choices are correct.

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT one of Weber's classifications of authority?

A) rational-legal
B) traditional
C) military
D) charismatic

Question 19

An organization that restructures to reduce the size of its workforce is undergoing

A) alienation.
B) modernization.
C) downsizing.
D) deindustrialization.

Question 20

Under rational-legal authority, rules and regulations tend to expand, leading to concerns about

A) dehumanization.
B) inefficiencies.
C) dysfunction.
D) All of the answer choices are correct.

Question 21

Adam Smith described the law of supply and demand as

A) unethical.
B) natural.
C) the invisible hand.
D) laissez faire.

Question 22

Which of the following has contributed to the rise of deindustrialization?

A) the mechanization of labor
B) the strengthening of labor laws
C) the practice of affirmative action
D) the localization of labor

Question 23

Which of the following was NOT a reason Karl Marx thought socialism was inevitable?

A) Humans must produce.
B) Scarcity and distribution are obstacles to the good of society.
C) Workers must retain control of their products.
D) Economy determines society.

Question 24

A(n) ______ economy features elements of more than one economic system.

A) blended
B) mixed
C) capitalist
D) industrial

Question 25

Which of the following is an example of terrorism?

A) All of the answer choices are correct.
B) A group of pro-life activists bombs an abortion clinic.
C) A religious fanatic uses a computer virus to cripple government networks.
D) A political group hijacks an airplane and keeps the passengers hostage.

Question 26

Which of the following BEST defines politics?

A) a form of government which may be democratic
B) the opinions of ruling members of a society
C) a social institution founded on a recognized set of procedures
D) competition between individuals over the allocation of resources

Question 27

Karl Marx praised capitalism for placing pressure on producers for constant innovation.

Question 28

According to Karl Marx, problems such as poverty and hunger that occur under capitalism are problems of distribution rather than insufficient production.

Question 29

Which of the following countries has seen the highest percentage of GDP growth since 1980?

A) United States
B) Japan
C) India
D) China

Question 30

Charisma lets people lead without

A) relying on set rules or tradition.
B) using force or coercion.
C) relying on appeal or competence.
D) taking any credit for it.

Question 31

Which of the following is True about an oligarchy?

A) It is a form of government in which a few individuals rule.
B) It often takes the form of military rule in modern society.
C) It was a form of government used in ancient Egypt and Greece.
D) All of the answer choices are correct.

Question 32

Competition in the context of capitalism means that the marketplace

A) should be open to whoever has the ability to compete.
B) is only open to whoever has the money to influence the political system.
C) should be open to whoever has the money to compete with the government.
D) is available to everyone, regardless of their ability to compete.

Question 33

The tertiary sector of the economy focuses on services.

Question 34

Capitalism is an economic system in which

A) value is determined solely by how much work goes into a product.
B) the means of production and distribution are collectively rather than privately owned.
C) directors of nonprofit agencies ensure that wealth is shared by all.
D) owners of private property compete in the marketplace in pursuit of profit.

Question 35

C. Wright Mills used the term "warlords" to refer to which of the following?

A) a large but exclusive ruling group
B) the military power elite
C) dictators with charismatic authority
D) the populace or common people

Question 36

Weber defined force as

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

Question 37

According to the principle of "laissez-faire," the only justification for government intervention in the marketplace is to maximize the good of society as a whole.

Question 38

Although fewer people are interested in politics in the United States relative to other countries, voter turnout is higher in the United States than most other democracies.

Question 39

A system in which a small number of individuals rule over the people is best described as a dictatorship.

Question 40

Which of the following is the purest form of rational-legal authority?

A) None of the answer choices are correct.
B) bureaucracy
C) theocracy
D) monarchy

Question 41

The ______ sector of the economy is engaged in the transformation of raw and intermediate materials into finished products.

A) tertiary
B) preindustrial
C) secondary
D) primary

Question 42

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

A) a newspaper editorial that convinces people to vote for a particular candidate
B) a woman who leads her soccer team because of her charming personality
C) an act of terrorism by members of a minority group
D) political dissidents who seize an embassy and assassinate a political leader

Question 43

Which of the following is NOT a key concept of capitalism?

A) economy determines society
B) competition in the market
C) law of supply and demand
D) pursuit of profit

Question 44

As described by C. Wright Mills, the power elite is made up of which of the following?

A) leaders of the executive branch of government
B) corporate rich
C) heads of the military
D) All of the answer choices are correct.

Question 45

Which of the following typically occurs in the aftermath of a terrorist attack?

A) Terrorists meet with "enemy" leaders to reach a settlement.
B) None of the answer choices are correct.
C) Terrorists deny responsibility for the attack in the hopes of avoiding retaliation.
D) Terrorists admit responsibility for the attack to bring attention to their goals.

Question 46

A pharmaceuticals manufacturer develops a unique new drug that only it is capable of producing. The exclusive product allows the manufacturer to dictate prices, set standards of quality, and determine availability for the drug. This is an example of a(n)

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

Question 47

Mary opens up a small printing business in her town. Although she enjoys the work, her primary motive for opening this business is to earn more money to help support her family. This would be characteristic of which type of economic system?

A) socialism
B) capitalism
C) None of the answer choices are correct.
D) communism

Question 48

How does socialism differ from capitalism as an economic system? Are the two systems mutually exclusive, or can elements of both be combined into something superior to either?

Question 49

Which of the following statements is False?

A) Dictators typically seize power.
B) Dictators typically inherit power.
C) Oligarchs typically share power with select individuals.
D) Monarchs typically inherit power.

Question 50

Which of the following problems seems to be common in socialist states?

A) bureaucratic inefficiency
B) political corruption
C) All of the answer choices are correct.
D) insufficient productivity

Question 51

Which of the following is True regarding offshoring?

A) All of the answer choices are correct.
B) It transfers jobs that require training from one country to another.
C) It transfers professional jobs from one country to another.
D) It transfers manufacturing jobs from one country to another.

Question 52

An economy that combines elements of both capitalism and socialism is known as a dysfunctional economy.

Question 53

Which of the following terms refers to power that is recognized as legitimate by the people over whom it is exercised?

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

Question 54

Compare and contrast C. Wright Mills's political elite model with that of G. William Domhoff. How do political elite models differ from the pluralist model? In your opinion, which model best represents the power structure of the United States?

Question 55

Which of the following is True about totalitarianism?

A) It involves virtually complete control over all aspects of social and political life.
B) It is a form of government headed by a single member of a royal family.
C) It is based on the idea that certain individuals have a divine right to rule.
D) Citizens elect political leaders to make decisions on behalf of the people.

Question 56

Which group has historically had particularly low voter turnout?

A) adults over 65
B) White males
C) None of the answer choices are correct. These three groups tend to turn out in roughly the same numbers.
D) young adults

Question 57

Which of the following is True regarding the Great Recession?

A) People's assumptions about how their lives would and should proceed were called into question.
B) The collapse was concentrated in the United States and had little effect elsewhere.
C) Although many people were unemployed, those who had work received large raises.
D) The job market was tougher for people between the ages of 30 and 45 than any other group.