Deck 16: E: The Economy and Work

Question 1

Explain how corporations operate as the core of the Canadian economy.How has the globalization of the economy made many corporations much larger? What are conglomerates? Look ahead to the world's economy at mid-century: Do you think large multinational corporations will dominate the world more than they do now? Is this good for the world's people? Why or why not?

Answer 1

no answer

Question 2

What arguments are made in favour of a free-market economy? What are the arguments made by those who favour a large regulatory role for government? Consider issues such as economic productivity,economic inequality,and the extent of corporate welfare.Also,how do the recent corporate scandals,beginning with the collapse of the Enron energy trading company,play in to this debate?

Answer 2

no answer

Question 3

State the defining characteristics of two economic models: capitalism and socialism.How do these models compare in terms of (a)overall productivity, (b)level of economic inequality,and (c)extent of political freedom? How is welfare capitalism an effort to combine benefits of both systems?

Answer 3

no answer

Question 4

How has the nature of work in Canada changed over the last 100 years? Answer this question referring to the three sectors of the economy.Include in your answer the changing share of self-employed people as well as the changing importance of labour unions.

Question 5

Identify specific positive and negative changes that would have to be made if you moved from a country with a capitalist economy to a country with a socialist economy.Clearly identify how you would handle these changes.

Question 6

Compare and contrast three kinds of societies according to their economic technology: agrarian,industrial,and postindustrial.What are the characteristics of production in each? In what ways does each type of economy shape society as a whole?

Question 7

Describe trends in the Canadian labour force over the course of the last century.What technological changes have accompanied the shift from agricultural work to blue-collar work and then to white-collar service jobs? What changes in other social patterns have accompanied this shift? Consider rural-urban residential patterns,family patterns,and the relationship between work and home.