Deck 6: Power and Politics

Question 1

The two-dimensional view of power focuses on the power to prevent topics from becoming the subject of open debate.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Much of the focus of the media today includes reporting on all facets of American life.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

The concept of the "disciplinary society" was introduced by Adam Smith.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The prestige accorded to individuals who have important social and economic roles is referred to as class.

Question 5

The rich can take advantage of tax breaks,commonly known as loopholes,which allow them to shelter their earnings from taxes.

Question 6

The progressive income tax system ensures that all Americans pay a proportionate share of their income in taxes.

Question 7

In the United States,the top 1 percent of all households receives 10 percent of the nation's income.

Question 8

When he revealed his tax return during the 2012 election campaign for the president,Mitt Romney reported paying 30 percent of his income in federal taxes.

Question 9

Sociologists use the term the state to refer to the three branches of government-the legislative,the executive,and the judicial-and the bureaucracies that support them.

Question 10

One purpose of agenda setting is to avert the challenge of issues that threaten the interests of the powerful.

Question 11

The critics of pluralism state that it is too narrow a view of power because it is applicable ?only when conflict is obvious.

Question 12

Sociologists view the use of force as a form of failed power.

Question 13

Adam Smith referred to socialism as an economic system governed by an "invisible hand."

Question 14

It is useful to think about power in terms of dimensions.

Question 15

The average compensation of chief executive officers (CEOs)of Fortune 500 companies in 2010 was 50 times more than the average salary of workers employed at those firms.

Question 16

In order for markets to operate,the state has to provide and enforce rules of regulation.

Question 17

Social Security,unemployment insurance,welfare for poor families,and many other such programs are collectively referred to as the welfare state.

Question 18

One can never attain power by breaking the rules.

Question 19

The business confidence theory holds that states adopt policies that ensure big businesses have the confidence and security they need to invest.

Question 20

The New Deal programs were adopted under the administration of Theodore Roosevelt.

Question 21

Which of the following statements is indicative of the three-dimensional view of power?

A)Conflict is not necessary for power to exist.
B)Coercion is necessary to maintain the status quo.
C)Conflict is necessary for power to exist.
D)Power manifests itself as behavior.

Question 22

The small group of people that dominate the upper levels of U.S.institutions and that shape the policies of the U.S.government was termed the __________ by C.Wright Mills.

A)ruling class
B)Super PAC
C)power elite
D)bourgeoisie

Question 23

Presidents engage in __________ by focusing on topics,such as health care,that they believe are most important.

A)civil inattention
B)agenda setting
C)class preferences
D)framing

Question 24

In the _________ dimensional view of power,we see power at work when power holders prevent subordinates from raising issues that challenge power holders' power.

A)one-
B)two-
C)three-
D)four-

Question 25

The function of positive power is to __________.

A)achieve shared goals
B)serve others' interests
C)exercise control over dissenters
D)maintain the status quo

Question 26

Rates of poverty in the United States are higher than in any other comparably rich democracy.

Question 27

People's confidence in the government has declined significantly over the past 35 years.

Question 28

Regarding the takeover of Columbia University's President Grayson Kirk's office during the protests in 1968,sociologist Erving Goffman asked the question,__________.

A)"How can human beings do a thing like this?"
B)"How can people behave so horribly?"
C)"Why does this not happen more often?"
D)"Why didn't the police prevent this?"

Question 29

Exercising power by breaking the rules of the game_____________.

A)doesn't always work,since threats and bribes,for example,can fail
B)always works if powerful groups have enough resources
C)almost never works,since following the rules of the game is essential
D)only works if the power elite is in control of the game

Question 30

Pluralism is a theory of how __________ operate.

A)dictatorships
B)fascist states
C)socialist nations
D)democracies

Question 31

The one-dimensional view of power is discernible in the relationships between _________.

A)two or more individuals in conflict
B)two or more groups in conflict
C)two or more countries in conflict
D)two or more individuals,groups,or countries in conflict

Question 32

Political action committees (PACs)are organized by businesses,unions,professional associations,and ideological groups to collect political donations for candidates,causes,and campaigns.

Question 33

The primary criticism of the one-dimensional view of power is that it__________.

A)ignores why some issues are never brought up for public debate
B)ignores win-win outcomes
C)emphasizes win-win outcomes
D)emphasizes agenda setting

Question 34

How do sociologists view the use of force in sustaining power?

A)The use of force is effective only over long periods of time.
B)The use of force is failed power.
C)The use of force is necessary to "win the game."
D)The use of force is a necessary consequence of uncertainty.

Question 35

In the _________ dimensional view of power,we see power at work when one party prevails in a conflict.

A)one-
B)two-
C)three-
D)four-

Question 36

Robert Dahl,who studied the city politics of New Haven in the 1950s,concluded that power in New Haven was distributed __________.

A)two-dimensionally
B)pluralistically
C)equally
D)minimally

Question 37

Most Americans are convinced that government-based programs are the best way to support the poor.

Question 38

Sociologists define status as __________.

A)the prestige accorded to individuals and to important social or economic roles
B)the views of individuals who have important social or economic roles
C)a classification system that dominates the upper levels of society
D)the right to lay claim to special rewards

Question 39

When your boss comes into the office,you try to look as busy as possible.Which dimensional view of power is operating in this scenario?

A)the one-dimensional view of power
B)the two-dimensional view of power
C)the three-dimensional view of power
D)the fourth-dimensional view of power

Question 40

Systems of proportional representation allow minority parties to gain representation in national legislatures based on the share of the vote they win.

Question 41

Why is the image of the "invisible hand" in Adam Smith's analysis of capitalism said to be misleading?

A)For markets to function properly,rules must be enforced by the state when violated.
B)For markets to function properly,entrepreneurs must be admitted by lottery drawing.
C)For markets to function properly,competition must be enforced by contractual exchanges.
D)For markets to function properly,contractual exchanges must be enforced by historical precedents.

Question 42

Philosopher Michel Foucault's radical ideas about power emphasized that power operates ________.

A)through individuals rather than against them
B)against individuals rather than through them
C)by way of groups that dominate subordinate groups
D)by way of individuals that dominate subordinate individuals

Question 43

Big business needs security to make the kinds of investments that create jobs and produce economic growth,according to __________.

A)the New Deal
B)the business confidence theory
C)tax and transfer policies
D)pluralism

Question 44

Which of the following is a plausible provision of an economic regulatory policy?

A)Companies shall be protected against claims of false advertising.
B)Companies shall maintain minimum standards of safety in their workplaces.
C)Companies shall not compensate third parties for accidental harm.
D)Stock traders shall have rights to profit from insider knowledge,provided that the profits are not fully realized at the time the trades are made.

Question 45

The courts and legal institutions of the state do all of the following EXCEPT __________.

A)administer regulations of the state
B)interpret the laws of the state
C)enforce the laws and policies of the state
D)judge the constitutionality of the laws and policies of the state

Question 46

Which of these statements represents the powerlessness of B in relation to A,according to the one-dimensional view of power?

A)B comes to believe in A's ideas even when it is not in B's interest to do so.
B)B fails to get its challenge to A taken seriously,or B is so frustrated by lack of power that B fails to issue a challenge to A.
C)B has few resources to win open conflicts.
D)B is so frustrated by lack of power that B fails to issue a challenge to A.

Question 47

The New Deal programs were adopted under the administration of __________.

A)Franklin D.Roosevelt
B)John F.Kennedy
C)Lyndon B.Johnson
D)Theodore Roosevelt

Question 48

Social security,health and unemployment insurance,and welfare for poor families comprise the __________.

A)bureaucratic state
B)pluralistic state
C)welfare state
D)disciplinary state

Question 49

In a democracy,__________.

A)all citizens are defined by national income
B)all citizens are socially,but not economically,mobile
C)all citizens have equal rights to participate in political life
D)all citizens exert indirect,but not direct,control over their leaders

Question 50

The complete array of major political institutions of any society is known as __________.

A)the levels of government
B)a bureaucracy
C)critical mass
D)the state

Question 51

The product-safety case of the Chevrolet Corvair illustrates the capacity of businesses to resist regulations that may affect __________.

A)their profit margins
B)their promotional strategies
C)their international channels of distribution
D)their long-term debt obligations

Question 52

Tax and transfer policies govern the __________.

A)distribution of income,wealth,and power
B)bargaining power of unions
C)public service contracts of the government
D)regulatory,but not the legal,environment

Question 53

Which of these statements represents the powerlessness of B in relation to A,according to the two-dimensional view of power?

A)B comes to believe in A's ideas even when it is not in B's interest to do so.
B)B fails to get its challenge to A taken seriously
C)B has few resources to win open conflicts.
D)B comes to believe that it is not in B's interest to win open conflicts.

Question 54

Which of the following statements would French philosopher Michel Foucault most likely agree with?

A)Power operates against individuals rather than through them.
B)Theories of power are useful for understanding how minds,not bodies,are disciplined.
C)The "disciplinary society" is visible all around us.
D)Power can be at its most effective when least observable.

Question 55

In the 1960s,consumer advocate __________ was able to expose the dangers of one GM car,the Corvair.

A)Ralph Nader
B)Adam Smith
C)Elizabeth Warren
D)Gary Smith

Question 56

__________ wrote The Wealth of Nations.

A)Karl Marx
B)Michel Foucault
C)Adam Smith
D)C.Wright Mills

Question 57

What did French philosopher Michel Foucault mean by suggesting that we all live in a "disciplinary society"?

A)We agree that discipline is necessary to maintain the status quo.
B)We have the right to lay claim to special rewards only if we display the proper discipline.
C)We are all subjected to a disciplining power that we cannot see but is all around us.
D)We have disagreements about the proper role of discipline in society.

Question 58

Social Security and other New Deal programs were __________.

A)opposed by most wealthy Americans
B)opposed by many business interests
C)opposed by most wealthy Americans and many business interests
D)opposed by most wealthy Americans and many middle-income Americans

Question 59

Which of these statements represents the powerlessness of B in relation to A,according to the three-dimensional view of power?

A)B comes to believe in A's ideas even when it is not in B's interest to do so.
B)B fails to get its challenge to A taken seriously
C)B is so frustrated by lack of power that B fails to issue a challenge to A.
D)B comes to believe that it is not in B's interest to win open conflicts.

Question 60

Medicare is health insurance for __________.

A)everyone over 65
B)everyone over 65 under the poverty line
C)everyone under the poverty line
D)everyone without employer-funded health insurance

Question 61

Which president attempted to close some of the loopholes that GE was using to avoid corporate income taxes?

A)Jimmy Carter
B)Bill Clinton
C)George H.W.Bush
D)Ronald Reagan

Question 62

In 2007,the top 10 percent of U.S.households received approximately __________ of all income.

A)10
B)25
C)50
D)70

Question 63

African Americans did not have full legal rights to vote in all Southern states until __________.

A)1865
B)1885
C)1955
D)1965

Question 64

In cross-country comparisons,the county that does the least to reduce poverty is __________.

A)the United States
B)the United Kingdom
C)Canada
D)Australia

Question 65

Capitalist economies have __________ produced enough decent-paying jobs for everyone who needs one.

A)never
B)rarely
C)sometimes
D)never

Question 66

Billionaire __________ famously highlighted the extent of tax loopholes for the wealthiest Americans when he reported paying less in federal taxes on his income,in terms of percentage,than his secretary.

A)Bill Gates
B)Warren Buffet
C)Ted Turner
D)Mitt Romney

Question 67

__________ is(are)an obvious and plausible explanation as to why income and wealth in the United States have become so concentrated at the top.

A)Accounting loopholes
B)The tax system
C)Capital gains
D)Entrepreneurial risk taking

Question 68

In the 1970s,the average compensation of chief executive officers (CEOs)at Fortune 500 companies was __________ times more than the average salary of workers employed at those firms.

A)15
B)35
C)243
D)350

Question 69

Which of the following changes in the U.S.tax code has been enacted in recent decades,disproportionately benefiting the wealthy?

A)elimination of the capital gains tax
B)reduction in the capital gains tax rate
C)equalization of the capital gains tax rate and the income tax rate
D)elimination of off-shore tax shelters

Question 70

Poverty,crime,drug abuse,and racism are examples of __________.

A)the welfare state
B)social problems
C)deviance
D)public policies

Question 71

Rates of poverty in the United States are __________ the rates of poverty in a comparison group of similar high-income nations after government antipoverty programs are taken into account.

A)lower than
B)higher than
C)equal to
D)nearly equal to

Question 72

Full educational equality between the genders in the United States was not guaranteed until __________.

A)1965
B)1972
C)1976
D)1980

Question 73

The top 1 percent of families in the United States,in terms of share of national income,is _________.

A)as rich as the wealthy in similar high-income countries around the world
B)far more rich than the wealthy in similar high-income countries around the world
C)far less rich than the wealthy in similar high-income countries around the world
D)as rich as the wealthy in similar high-income European countries,but far more rich than similar high-income Asian countries

Question 74

Major corporations that earn tax credits can use them __________.

A)to pay off any future tax obligations
B)as gifts for deserving public institutions
C)as cash reimbursements to employees
D)as cash advances on CEO salaries

Question 75

During the 2012 presidential election campaign,Mitt Romney revealed that he paid less than __________ percent of his income in federal taxes.

A)15
B)22
C)27
D)32

Question 76

Since the end of World War II,the trend in the corporate tax rate has been __________.

A)downward
B)upward
C)flat
D)erratic

Question 77

Which company has so successfully used the tax system to avoid paying taxes that it paid no corporate income tax in 2010 on reported profits of $14 billion?

A)Apple
B)Berkshire Hathaway
C)General Electric (GE)
D)Verizon

Question 78

In 2007,the top 1 percent of U.S.households received __________ percent of all income.

A)12
B)24
C)36
D)48

Question 79

Social welfare programs tend to be most generous in countries with all of the following characteristics EXCEPT __________.

A)strong unions
B)socialist or social democratic parties
C)strong central governments
D)decentralized types of governments where power is divided between national,regional,and local governments

Question 80

Today,the average compensation of chief executive officers (CEOs)at Fortune 500 companies is __________ times more than the average salary of workers employed at those firms.

A)15
B)35
C)243
D)350