Deck 2: National Differences in Political, Economic, and Legal Systems

Question 1

The communists believed that socialism could be achieved by democratic means and turned their backs on violent revolution and dictatorship.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Contracts under a civil law system tend to be very detailed with all contingencies spelled out.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

In mixed economies, governments tend to take into state ownership troubled firms whose continued operation is thought to be vital to national interests.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Democracy is a form of government that prohibits opposing political parties.

Question 5

Patents discourage companies from committing themselves to extensive basic research.

Question 6

To facilitate international business, property rights are defined in a consistent way across countries.

Question 7

Property rights can be violated in two ways-through private action and through public action.

Question 8

The central message of collectivism is that individual economic and political freedoms are the ground rules on which a society should be based.

Question 9

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act does not allow for grease payments.

Question 10

A nation's legal system is usually of very little interest to international business managers, because international businesses are headquartered in different countries.

Question 11

The Republic of Elbow has a command economy, and as such, its objective is to encourage free and fair competition between private producers.

Question 12

In a totalitarian country, there are safeguards to protect an individual's right to freedom of expression, opinion, and organization.

Question 13

A theocratic law system is one in which the law is based on religious teachings.

Question 14

Most modern democratic states practice representative democracy.

Question 15

The parties to an agreement normally resort to contract law when one party feels the other has violated either the letter or the spirit of an agreement.

Question 16

Fred wanted to protect his novel from piracy, so he copyrighted it. Patents, copyrights, and trademarks establish ownership rights over intellectual property.

Question 17

Judge Michaels operates in a country with a civil law system. This system has more flexibility than a common law system.

Question 18

Some believe the Cold War was simply about nuclear proliferation, but in many respects, it was a war between collectivism and individualism.

Question 19

Many of the world's larger trading nations, including India and the United Kingdom, have not ratified the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG).

Question 20

The number of command economies has fallen dramatically since the demise of communism in the late 1980s.

Question 21

The term ________ stresses that the political, economic, and legal systems of a country are interdependent.

A) political economy
B) common law
C) socialism
D) collectivism

Question 22

The Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights agreement attempts to reduce intellectual property protections to enhance trade.

Question 23

Who was the author of The Wealth of Nations in which he stated that "an individual who intends his own gain is led by an invisible hand to promote an end that was no part of his intention..."?

A) David Hume
B) Adam Smith
C) Karl Marx
D) John Stuart Mill

Question 24

In a(n) ________ society, the welfare of society is best served by letting people pursue their own economic self-interest.

A) individualist
B) capitalist
C) democratic
D) totalitarian

Question 25

Modern socialism has been popularized largely through the work of

A) Adam Smith.
B) Karl Marx.
C) David Hume.
D) Thomas Hobbes.

Question 26

When Penelope returned home from vacation, she found her store had been robbed and her most valuable merchandise was gone. This violation of property rights is considered private action.

Question 27

Modern socialists trace their intellectual roots to ________, although socialist thought clearly predates this individual.

A) David Hume
B) Karl Marx
C) Adam Smith
D) John Stuart Mill

Question 28

The political systems of a country raise ethical issues that have implications for the practice of international business.

Question 29

When ________ is emphasized, an individual's right to do something may be restricted on the grounds that it runs counter to "the good of society."

A) individualism
B) totalitarianism
C) collectivism
D) theocracy

Question 30

Systems that emphasize collectivism tend toward

A) totalitarianism.
B) capitalism.
C) democracy.
D) privatization.

Question 31

A political system that prioritizes the needs of the society over individual freedoms is called

A) totalitarianism.
B) collectivism.
C) capitalism.
D) egalitarianism.

Question 32

Interdependent political, economic, and legal systems of a country make up its

A) administrative agenda.
B) socioeconomic fabric.
C) cultural environment.
D) political economy.

Question 33

Plato ________; he believed that society should be stratified into classes, with those best suited to rule administering society for the benefit of all.

A) equated individualism with equality
B) equated collectivism with equality
C) promoted representative democracy
D) did not equate collectivism with equality

Question 34

Product liability can be much lower if a product does not conform to required safety standards.

Question 35

________ argued that individual diversity and private ownership are desirable.

A) Karl Marx
B) Plato
C) John Stuart Smith
D) Aristotle

Question 36

Manchu believed that socialism could be achieved only through violent revolution and totalitarian dictatorship. Manchu was likely a

A) libertarian.
B) communist.
C) collectivist.
D) social democrat.

Question 37

What term is used to describe a state in which authoritarian elements have captured some or much of the machinery of state and use this in an attempt to deny basic political and civil liberties?

A) authoritarian dictatorship
B) right-wing democracies
C) representative totalitarianism
D) pseudo-democracies

Question 38

Product liability sets certain safety standards to which a product must adhere.

Question 39

________ generally permits some individual economic freedom but restricts individual political freedom, frequently on the grounds that it would lead to the rise of communism.

A) Communist totalitarianism
B) Theoretical totalitarianism
C) Right-wing totalitarianism
D) Tribal totalitarianism

Question 40

________ occurs when a political party that represents the interests of a particular tribe (and not always the majority tribe) monopolizes power.

A) Tribal dictatorship
B) Communist totalitarianism
C) Tribal totalitarianism
D) Privatization

Question 41

In 2008, the U.S. government took an 80 percent stake in AIG to stop that financial institution from collapsing, the theory being that if AIG did collapse, it would have very serious consequences for the entire financial system. What type of economy is this an example of?

A) command
B) mixed
C) capitalistic
D) market

Question 42

Which of the following is a safeguard that representative democracies use to ensure that their elected officials are held responsible for their actions?

A) unlimited terms for elected representatives
B) a court system that is integrated with the political system
C) an individual's right to freedom of expression, opinion, and organization
D) a political police force and armed service

Question 43

Totalitarianism

A) refers to a political system in which government is by the people, exercised either directly or through elected representatives.
B) is based on a belief that citizens should be directly involved in decision making.
C) is a form of government in which one person or political party exercises absolute control over all spheres of human life.
D) is based on the idea that the welfare of society is best served by letting people pursue their own economic self-interests.

Question 44

Antitrust laws in the United States are designed to

A) restrict agricultural subsidies.
B) increase trade barriers.
C) outlaw monopolies.
D) restrict privatization.

Question 45

People's right to protest on issues of accountability in public expenditure would be possible in a ________ political setup.

A) dictatorial
B) democratic
C) totalitarian
D) fascist

Question 46

In a ________, if demand for a product exceeds supply, prices will rise, signaling to producers to produce more.

A) mixed economy
B) market economy
C) collectivist economy
D) command economy

Question 47

Which system of government generally permits some individual economic freedom but restricts individual political freedom, frequently on the grounds that it would lead to the rise of communism?

A) tribal totalitarianism
B) right-wing totalitarianism
C) democratic totalitarianism
D) theocratic totalitarianism

Question 48

In a ________ economy, certain sectors of the economy are left to private ownership and free market mechanisms while other sectors have significant state ownership and government planning.

A) market
B) private
C) command
D) mixed

Question 49

The tenet of ________ is that the welfare of society is best served by letting people pursue their own economic self-interest.

A) socialism
B) communism
C) anarchism
D) individualism

Question 50

________ refers to a state where political power is monopolized by a party, group, or individual that governs according to religious principles.

A) Representative democracy
B) Theocratic totalitarianism
C) Tribal anarchism
D) Monotheistic communism

Question 51

In a pure market economy,

A) all productive activities are owned by the state.
B) production is determined by the interaction of supply and demand.
C) collectivist goals are given priority over individual goals.
D) the prices at which goods are sold are determined by the government.

Question 52

In several Western democracies, the poor performance of state-owned enterprises, because of protection from competition and guaranteed government financial support, led to

A) privatization.
B) nationalization.
C) liberalization.
D) socialization of production.

Question 53

An economy in which the interaction of supply and demand determines the quantity in which goods and services are produced is called a

A) planned economy.
B) command economy.
C) closed economy.
D) market economy.

Question 54

Which of the following is a reason that command economies tend to stagnate?

A) Costs are tightly controlled and business are forced to be efficient rather than dynamic and innovative.
B) The abolition of private ownership means there is no incentive for individuals to look for better ways to serve consumer needs.
C) All economic resources are mobilized for the public good.
D) Individuals in command economy countries lack the skills to be innovative.

Question 55

In a(n) ________ economy, the government plans the goods and services that a country produces, the quantity in which they are produced, and the prices at which they are sold.

A) market
B) command
C) open
D) laissez-faire

Question 56

Which of the following statements about individualism is true?

A) Individualism promotes state ownership of the basic means of production, distribution, and exchange.
B) Individualism promotes globalization.
C) Individualism creates an antibusiness environment.
D) Individualism and democracy go hand in hand.

Question 57

The abolition of ________ in a command economy means there is no incentive for individuals to look for better ways to serve consumer needs.

A) private ownership
B) public ownership
C) government-owned businesses
D) co-operatives

Question 58

Which of the following is a feature of a democracy?

A) exercise of absolute control by one person or political party
B) governance by people or elected representatives
C) prohibition of entry to opposing political parties
D) complete restriction of individual political freedom

Question 59

Which of the following philosophies can be traced back to the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle?

A) socialism
B) individualism
C) collectivism
D) anarchism

Question 60

The local grocery in a small southern city is the only option for the residents, so it has a monopoly on the grocery business there. When the population of the city grows and demand for groceries increases, what is the grocery store most likely to do?

A) Restrict output to drive prices down.
B) Increase output to drive prices down.
C) Restrict output and let prices rise.
D) Increase output and let prices rise.

Question 61

Under the ________, cases are judged with reference to three characteristics: tradition, precedent, and custom.

A) theocratic law system
B) civil law system
C) contract law system
D) common law system

Question 62

A ________ grants the inventor of a new product or process exclusive rights for a defined period of time to the manufacture, use, or sale of that invention.

A) copyright
B) trademark
C) contract
D) patent

Question 63

Designs and names by which merchants or manufacturers designate and differentiate their products are known as

A) trademarks.
B) copyrights.
C) patents.
D) licenses.

Question 64

Which of the following is the most widely practiced theocratic legal system in the world today?

A) Hindu law
B) Sikh law
C) Islamic law
D) Jewish law

Question 65

A common law system is different from a civil law system because

A) a common law system is based on religious teachings, while a civil law system is based on cultural traditions.
B) a common law system is very rigid, while a civil law system tends to be more flexible.
C) in a common law system a judge relies on legal codes to make rulings, while in a civil law system a judge relies on his intuition and moral reasoning to make judgments.
D) in a common law system a judge has the power to interpret the law, while in a civil law system a judge has the power only to apply the law.

Question 66

A ________ law system is based on a very detailed set of laws organized into codes.

A) traditional
B) theocratic
C) civil
D) common

Question 67

A theocratic law system is one in which the law is based on

A) religious teachings.
B) tradition, precedent, and custom.
C) a detailed set of laws organized into codes.
D) cultural and social norms.

Question 68

Which of the following area of international trade is regulated by the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act?

A) making and performance of commercial contracts in international trade
B) preventing bribery and unethical acts in the conduct of international business
C) establishing a set of safety standards to which a new product must adhere
D) controlling the mafia activity that hinders trade in Russia, Japan, and the United States.

Question 69

Which of the following statements about the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (or TRIPS) agreement is true?

A) It was designed to oversee the loosening of intellectual property regulations, beginning in 1995.
B) It obliged WTO members to grant and enforce patents lasting at least 20 years and copyrights lasting 50 years.
C) It directed rich countries to comply with its rules of intellectual property protection within five years.
D) It provided the very poorest countries amnesty from complying with its rules of intellectual property protection.

Question 70

Violation of property rights done through legal mechanisms such as levying excessive taxation and requiring expensive licenses or permits from property holders is called

A) private action.
B) collective action.
C) public action.
D) copyright violation.

Question 71

________ rights refer to the legal rights over the use to which a resource is put and over the use made of any income that may be derived from that resource.

A) Trade
B) Property
C) Positive
D) Common

Question 72

A civil law system tends to be less adversarial than a common law system because the

A) judges' decisions are based on detailed legal codes.
B) judges have the freedom to interpret laws based on the situation.
C) judges' decisions are based on religious teachings.
D) judges are guided by interpretations made in prior legal cases.

Question 73

In which of the following economies would the government be most likely to take into state ownership troubled firms whose continued operation is thought to be vital to national interests?

A) market economies
B) laissez-faire economies
C) liberal economies
D) mixed economies

Question 74

One key component of a country's legal system is

A) establishing a mixed economy.
B) taking a hands-off approach to business practices.
C) defining the rights and obligations of those involved in business transactions.
D) leaving the monitoring of the way business transactions are executed to the United Nations.

Question 75

Which of the following is an example of intellectual property?

A) a music score
B) a laser-tag game
C) a software business
D) a theater

Question 76

Which of the following provides exclusive legal rights to authors, composers, playwrights, artists, and publishers to publish and disperse their work as they see fit?

A) patent
B) copyright
C) trademark
D) license

Question 77

The TRIPS agreement was designed to

A) exclude China from all intellectual property agreements.
B) oversee a much stricter enforcement of intellectual property regulations.
C) hold a firm and its officers responsible when a product causes injury, death, or damage.
D) support traded software and recorded property among developed markets.

Question 78

Which of the following statements about the legal systems of countries is true?

A) They can affect the attractiveness of a country as an investment site or market.
B) They are not influenced by the prevailing political system of the country.
C) They are almost the same for all countries.
D) They are of little importance to international business.

Question 79

In Russia, in the chaotic period following the collapse of communism, an outdated legal system, coupled with a weak police force and judicial system, allowed the Russian Mafia to demand "protection money" from business owners. Any business owner who rebelled had to face violent retribution. This violation of property rights exemplifies

A) private action.
B) copyright violation.
C) infrastructural failure.
D) public liability.

Question 80

The research and development division of a company has recently designed a new coffee vending machine that is likely to sell very well in the market. It is compact, user-friendly, and provides unprecedented efficiency in terms of cost per cup. Consequently, the company fears that its competitors would soon mimic the design of its product. To protect its product, the company is now seeking a

A) copyright.
B) patent.
C) trademark.
D) certification.