Deck 9: Class and Global Inequality

Question 1

Karen and Tina are neighbors. Their husbands are both lawyers and they are both able to stay home to raise their children. They enjoy going to Broadway shows, and they take vacations with their families each year. Which of the following do Karen and Tina have in common?

A) class
B) capital
C) income
D) wealth

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which term refers to money that is used to build and expand companies for financial gain?

A) income
B) social capital
C) investment income
D) capital

Answer 2

D

Question 3

According to Karl Marx, which of the following statements about the relationship between owners and workers is FALSE?

A) Capitalist systems are focused on conflicts between owners and workers.
B) Owners exploit workers by paying low wages.
C) Owners motivate workers by offering incentives.
D) Workers seek maximum pay for their labor.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Mario earned millions of dollars by taking the money he earned though his business and reinvesting it into real estate. The money that he invested is called

A) capital.
B) social capital.
C) investment income.
D) income.

Question 5

Max is the owner of a leading food distributer and owns a large share of the company's stock. According to Karl Marx, to which class does Max belong?

A) working class
B) upper class
C) wealthy class
D) capitalist class

Question 6

According to Karl Marx, which class of individuals earns wages that cover their basic living expenses?

A) the working class
B) the lower class
C) the middle class
D) the capitalist class

Question 7

Nicole owns a home that she lives in, a condominium that she rents out, and savings bonds. These assets contribute to her

A) wealth.
B) class.
C) capital.
D) income.

Question 8

Who described class as "script, map, and guide"?

A) Russ Eckel
B) Max Weber
C) Karl Marx
D) Alfred Lubrano

Question 9

Which of the following represents income?

A) savings and interest on savings
B) earned wages and stocks
C) earned wages and interest on savings
D) savings and stocks

Question 10

Jenny works as a receptionist at a local medical office. The money she earns at her job is enough to buy her family the essentials to survive. According to Karl Marx, to which group does Jenny belong?

A) the middle class
B) the working class
C) the upper class
D) the capitalist class

Question 11

Which class maintains investments in major companies and controls large amounts of money?

A) middle class
B) working class
C) capitalist class
D) upper class

Question 12

Karl Marx described what group as the "proletariat"?

A) the lower class
B) the upper class
C) the capitalist class
D) the working class

Question 13

Money that is invested into factories, companies, and other businesses is called

A) income.
B) social capital.
C) investment income.
D) capital.

Question 14

Which of the following represents wealth?

A) wages and stocks
B) homes and stocks
C) homes and rent income
D) stocks and interest income

Question 15

Which term did Max Weber use to describe the chances a person has in life at gaining highly valued economic and cultural means?

A) life chances
B) equal opportunity
C) social capital
D) meritocracy

Question 16

What term would Karl Marx use to describe someone who owned a small pet grooming shop?

A) petite proletariat
B) proletariat
C) bourgeoisie
D) petite bourgeoisie

Question 17

When, historically, did the sociological analysis of class and inequality begin?

A) the late 1800s and early 1900s
B) the first three decades of the 1900s
C) the mid-twentieth century
D) the early 1800s

Question 18

Which term represents money earned from wage employment and interest on investments?

A) class
B) capital
C) wealth
D) income

Question 19

What is the best match to Karl Marx's term "bourgeoisie"?

A) middle class
B) working class
C) capitalist class
D) upper class

Question 20

Monetary assets that an individual holds, such as stocks, homes, and savings accounts, are known as

A) income.
B) capital.
C) class.
D) wealth.

Question 21

Which class position is marked by chronic unemployment and an inability to maintain a consistent relationship with the economy?

A) working class
B) underclass
C) middle class
D) capitalist class

Question 22

In the United States, the poverty line is calculated by

A) estimating the minimum income to maintain working-class status.
B) estimating the percentage of households living in relative poverty.
C) determining the income cut-off for the lowest 20 percent of households.
D) determining the minimum amount of money needed for food and multiplying it by three.

Question 23

Approximately what percentage of wealth is owned by the top 20 percent of American households?

A) 10 percent
B) 30 percent
C) 60 percent
D) 90 percent

Question 24

Renee was born into a working-class family. She worked her way through college and is now employed as a nurse. What kind of mobility did Renee experience?

A) structural mobility
B) relative mobility
C) individual mobility
D) class mobility

Question 25

Approximately what percentage of American household income does the top 20 percent of earners make?

A) 50 percent
B) 25 percent
C) 75 percent
D) 90 percent

Question 26

Someone who lacks the resources that are considered required to maintain a basic standard of living in society is living in ________ poverty.

A) relative
B) desperate
C) total
D) absolute

Question 27

Which of the following occupations is NOT included in the middle class?

A) teacher
B) secretary
C) lawyer
D) social worker

Question 28

Someone who lacks resources so severely that their life is threatened is living in ________ poverty.

A) total
B) desperate
C) relative
D) absolute

Question 29

John worked in a manufacturing job building car engines. Over time, this work was increasingly performed by machines, and manufacturing jobs became scarcer and paid less. John and his family were once comfortably middle class, but technology changed his job and his factory was shut down. What kind of mobility did John experience?

A) structural mobility
B) relative mobility
C) class mobility
D) individual mobility

Question 30

Marquita earns ten dollars an hour working at a coffee shop. Her earnings are called

A) income.
B) wealth.
C) capital.
D) class.

Question 31

The ability to move from one social class to another is called

A) class stratification.
B) relative mobility.
C) individual mobility.
D) class mobility.

Question 32

Which of the following is the best example of conspicuous consumption?

A) a couple buying a mansion and lavishly furnishing it with goods
B) a couple spending money on a vacation for their parents
C) a woman purchasing a new car to replace her old one
D) a family carefully saving so that they can send their child to college

Question 33

What term refers to a shift in one's social class that results from overall changes in the way employment is organized in society?

A) class mobility
B) individual mobility
C) structural mobility
D) relative mobility

Question 34

Which social class is identified by its contribution of specialized knowledge to the economy?

A) working class
B) middle class
C) capitalist class
D) underclass

Question 35

Which of the following best describes a characteristic of the middle class?

A) through employment adds specialized training and knowledge to the economy
B) earns enough income to be able to control major capital
C) relies upon skilled and unskilled labor
D) employment that is based on the needs of a manufacturing economy

Question 36

Which of the following is a main characteristic of the underclass?

A) chronic unemployment
B) low-wage employment
C) illegal employment
D) working multiple jobs

Question 37

Excessive spending, often done with the intention of showing off or impressing others, is what Thorstein Veblen termed

A) capital classism.
B) capitalist consumerism.
C) class mobility.
D) conspicuous consumption.

Question 38

Janet is unemployed. Due to a disability, she finds it difficult to maintain employment despite a desire to work. She is, therefore, unable to maintain a consistent relationship with the formal economy. What is Janet's class status?

A) underclass
B) lower class
C) working class
D) middle class

Question 39

What term refers to a person's change in class position without an overall change in society's class structure?

A) structural mobility
B) class mobility
C) individual mobility
D) relative mobility

Question 40

Discrimination based on someone's economic resources and lifestyle is called

A) classism.
B) consumerism.
C) socialism.
D) capitalism.

Question 41

Alex believes that people who are poor are lazy and do not want to work. He argues that anyone can be rich if they simply work hard enough. What concept reflects the argument he is making?

A) singularity
B) equal opportunity
C) individualism
D) meritocracy

Question 42

Power and wealth inequalities between nations in the world is called

A) power analysis.
B) capital inequality.
C) global inequality.
D) resource analysis.

Question 43

A country redesigned its tax policy so that the amount of taxes an individual paid was based on his or her earnings, with those earning more paying more in taxes. For example, an individual who makes $20,000 a year pays 3 percent in taxes, while an individual who makes $100,000 a year pays 3 percent on the first $20,000 and an additional 10 percent on the remaining $80,000. This is called

A) liberal taxation.
B) regressive taxation.
C) conservative taxation.
D) progressive taxation.

Question 44

Which type of tax policy has individuals who earn higher incomes pay a larger percentage of their income in taxes?

A) progressive taxation
B) regressive taxation
C) liberal taxation
D) conservative taxation

Question 45

Which type of tax policy has individuals who earn lower incomes pay larger percentages of their incomes in taxes?

A) conservative taxation
B) liberal taxation
C) regressive taxation
D) progressive taxation

Question 46

Which of the following is an example of public assistance?

A) interest-free government loans to corporations
B) welfare benefits such as food stamps or housing funds
C) home mortgage interest tax write-offs
D) All these answers are correct.

Question 47

A trend in which an increasing proportion of women and children comprise poor families in the United States is called the ________ of poverty.

A) stratification
B) restructuring
C) gendering
D) feminization

Question 48

Memberships in social groups that have the potential to be economically valuable are known as

A) cultural resources.
B) cultural capital.
C) social resources.
D) social capital.

Question 49

What type of country would be characterized by high standards of living and high purchasing power?

A) developed
B) first world
C) post-industrial
D) western

Question 50

Financial assistance from the government to citizens in the form of tax credits or monetary payments is called

A) public assistance.
B) social welfare.
C) capital welfare.
D) government assistance.

Question 51

A country redesigned its tax policy so that the tax rate was reduced for individuals earning larger amounts of money. For example, a household making $50,000 a year would pay 23 percent in taxes while a household making $200,000 would pay 23 percent taxes only on the first $150,000 of their income and no taxes on the income above $150,000. This is called

A) liberal taxation.
B) regressive taxation.
C) conservative taxation.
D) progressive taxation.

Question 52

In her research, Annette Lareau found differences in how middle-class and working-class parents raised their children. Which term did she use for how working-class parents raised their children?

A) concerted cultivation
B) capital cultivation
C) accomplishment of natural growth
D) acceleration of natural growth

Question 53

The resources a person has, such as various types knowledge and skills, are called

A) cultural capital.
B) social capital.
C) cultural resources.
D) social resources.

Question 54

Which of the following concepts does NOT contribute to justifications of poverty?

A) meritocracy
B) life chances
C) individualism
D) equal opportunity

Question 55

What set of terms do sociologists use to describe a country's level of industrial and technological development?

A) pre-industrial, industrial, post-industrial
B) first world, second world, third world
C) developed, developing, underdeveloped
D) western, southern, eastern

Question 56

Developed nations, such as the United States and France, have more financial resources and political power than underdeveloped nations such as Chad and India. What term would sociologists use to explain the differences between these nations in terms of their wealth and power?

A) global inequality
B) capital inequality
C) resource analysis
D) power analysis

Question 57

Which of the following terms best identifies the following types of information we learn: table manners, etiquette in social situations, and rules concerning gift giving?

A) cultural resources
B) social resources
C) social capital
D) cultural capital

Question 58

After law school, Mannie was able to secure an entry-level job at the law firm of one of his father's best friends. This family connection is part of Mannie's

A) cultural capital.
B) social capital.
C) cultural resources.
D) social resources.

Question 59

In her research, Annette Lareau found differences in how middle-class and working-class parents raised their children. Which term did she use for how middle-class parents raised their children?

A) capital cultivation
B) concerted cultivation
C) acceleration of natural growth
D) accomplishment of natural growth

Question 60

Kyle spends a majority of his time playing with the other children in the neighborhood. His parents do not arrange or organize his time or activities other than school. They believe that he should be able to live out his childhood without pressures to grow up too fast. Based on Annette Lareau's work, in which social class would Kyle most likely be living?

A) under class
B) middle class
C) working class
D) upper class

Question 61

Which of the following nations has the MOST internal social inequality among its citizens?

A) Canada
B) United States
C) Sweden
D) France

Question 62

Which of the following is NOT one of the impacts of inequality between nations?

A) the structure of a nation's government
B) the health of a nation's citizens
C) an individual's access to education
D) the type of housing individuals have

Question 63

How would world systems analysis classify a nation that had middle incomes and a basic domestic industrial base but lacked major global economic power?

A) semi-core
B) core
C) periphery
D) semi-periphery

Question 64

Which of the following best defines modernization theory?

A) Nations become more equal as they develop.
B) Global inequality is caused by differences in development.
C) Global inequality is caused by cultural differences.
D) Inequality is caused by the exploitation of poor nations.

Question 65

Approximately what percentage of the total world's wealth is controlled by the bottom 80 percent of the population?

A) 10 percent
B) 6 percent
C) 4 percent
D) 1 percent

Question 66

Which term refers to how rich nations control the economies and resources of poorer nations without political control or occupation?

A) dependency
B) capitalism
C) colonialism
D) neocolonialism

Question 67

What is the main focus of world systems analysis?

A) the ways wealthy nations exploit poorer nations
B) how wealthy nations support growth in poor nations
C) the ways that nations struggle for global power
D) the interdependence among the nations of the world

Question 68

Which term refers to the use of the military, political, and economic power of one society to dominate people of another society?

A) modernization
B) capitalism
C) neocolonialism
D) colonialism

Question 69

Mansoor tells you he believes that many countries in Africa are poor because other nations exploited Africa's labor and natural resources for their own benefit. As a result, it was difficult for Africa's poor nations to build their own economies. Which theory is Mansoor explaining?

A) world systems analysis
B) colonial theory
C) modernization theory
D) dependency theory

Question 70

In world systems analysis, nations are classified as

A) western countries and southern countries.
B) developed nations and underdeveloped nations.
C) core nations and periphery nations.
D) first world and third world.

Question 71

Which of the following best defines dependency theory?

A) Nations become more equal as they develop.
B) Global inequality is caused by cultural differences.
C) Inequality is caused by the exploitation of poor nations.
D) Global inequality is caused by differences in development.

Question 72

Shania tells you that she believes the reason the United States has more internal inequality between its citizens when compared to countries like Canada is because American cultural values are more individualistic. Which theory does Shania's argument support?

A) world systems analysis
B) neocolonialism theory
C) dependency theory
D) modernization theory

Question 73

You have just read a news story about a wealthy nation invading a poor nation after the discovery of massive oil deposits in the country. The wealthy nation sent in its military to take control of the people of the country and eventually take control of the economic and political systems so that the wealthy nation can drill for oil without interference. This is an example of

A) modernization.
B) dependency.
C) neocolonialism.
D) colonialism.

Question 74

Which of the following approaches global inequality by examining the relationships between nations and how all nations are tied together within a global economy?

A) capitalist theory
B) modernization theory
C) dependency theory
D) world systems analysis

Question 75

An online news story describes a poor nation at war with the wealthy nation that controlled its economic and political systems. The poor nation wanted to become independent but the wealthy nation refused to allow economic and political freedom, citing that the nation did not have the resources needed to survive without the assistance of the wealthy nation. This is an example of

A) colonialism.
B) neocolonialism.
C) dependency.
D) modernization.

Question 76

Which of the following theories argues that global inequality is the result of powerful nations exploiting less powerful nations?

A) dependency theory
B) modernization theory
C) world systems analysis
D) colonial theory

Question 77

Which of the following theories states that inequality among nations is due to cultural differences?

A) neocolonial theory
B) modernization theory
C) dependency theory
D) world systems analysis

Question 78

Geoff tells you that we cannot understand American culture without understanding the relationship that America has with the global economy. He argues that the ability to connect with other nations in the world allows Americans to have access to all sorts of products, and that would be impossible without a global economy. Which analytical framework is Geoff explaining?

A) world systems analysis
B) dependency theory
C) modernization theory
D) neocolonialism

Question 79

What are the two major social sources of global inequality?

A) power and individualism
B) power and resources
C) culture and resources
D) culture and power

Question 80

Approximately what percentage of total world wealth does the richest 1 percent of the population hold?

A) 20 percent
B) 50 percent
C) 60 percent
D) 80 percent