Question 1

Which of the following is a time during which significant reforms were undertaken in the United States?

Accepted Answer

The Civil War era was a time of significant reforms, including the abolition of slavery and the passage of the Reconstruction Amendments (13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments) which aimed to establish civil rights for former slaves.

Question 2

Programs such as the AFDC,food stamps,and Head Start are known as __________.

Accepted Answer

Programs such as AFDC, food stamps, and Head Start are safety net programs that provide assistance to individuals and families who are experiencing financial hardship. These programs are designed to help those who may otherwise fall into poverty or go without necessary resources.

Question 3

What is blocking progressive change?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is blocking progressive change?
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Question 4

Of the following,which country has the lowest total tax rate in terms of percentage of gross domestic product?

Accepted Answer

The United States typically has a lower total tax rate as a percentage of GDP compared to Germany, France, and England.

Question 5

Which two conditions are necessary for a new progressive era?

Accepted Answer

A new progressive era would require a class-based party that is focused on addressing issues of economic inequality and social justice. A strong union movement would also be necessary to ensure that workers have a voice in the political process and can advocate for better wages and working conditions. While a conservative federal legislature may make it more challenging to pass progressive policies, it is not a necessary condition for a new progressive era. A two-party political system and a female president are also not necessary conditions for a new progressive era.

Question 6

The steps in solving social problems include __________.

Accepted Answer

Determining the facts about social problems and demythologizing social life is a crucial step in identifying and understanding the root causes of social problems, which can then inform effective solutions.

Question 7

Kozol uses the phrase __________ to refer to the notion that all of society is responsible for child neglect.

Accepted Answer

Kozol consistently refers to the idea of "collective sin" throughout the book, arguing that society as a whole bears responsibility for the neglect and mistreatment of children in impoverished neighborhoods.

Question 8

Elimination of poverty in disadvantaged urban and rural areas should include __________.

Accepted Answer

Providing tax rebates to businesses can incentivize them to relocate to these areas, creating job opportunities and economic growth. Eliminating federal assistance for schools and job training and infrastructure would have the opposite effect and potentially worsen the poverty situation. Relocating rural populations to urban areas is not a feasible or ethical solution.

Question 9

Paul believes that politics is guided by the "golden rule": Those who have the gold make the rules.Thus,Paul believes that the United States is a __________.

Accepted Answer

A plutocracy is a system of government in which wealthy individuals or families hold the power. Paul's belief that politics is guided by the "golden rule" and that those who have the gold make the rules is a key characteristic of a plutocracy.

Question 10

Just before the last election cycle the members of a state house of representatives got together and redrew the boundaries for various voting districts.The group that held power at the time consistently blocked efforts to draw boundaries favorable to the minority party and instead divided the state in a way that would ensure them the most votes in a process known as __________.

Accepted Answer

Gerrymandering is the process of manipulating the boundaries of an electoral district to benefit a particular political party or group. This is done by creating oddly shaped districts that concentrate voters of one party in one area while diluting the voting power of the other party in surrounding areas. In this case, the group in power redrew the voting district boundaries in a way that would ensure them the most votes and blocked efforts to draw boundaries favorable to the minority party.

Question 11

Alex believes,among other things,that the United States should do a much better job of providing for vulnerable citizens who cannot provide for themselves including,especially,children.Alex is in favor of __________.

Accepted Answer

Alex's belief aligns with a progressive agenda which emphasizes social welfare policies and providing support for disadvantaged groups. Conservative social policies tend to prioritize individual responsibility and limited government intervention in these areas. Gerrymandering refers to the manipulation of electoral district boundaries for political gain and is unrelated to this issue. A plutocracy is a government ruled by the wealthy, which is also unrelated to the issue of supporting vulnerable citizens.

Question 12

Gerrymandering results in many voting districts in the United States where the primary election essentially determines the final winner.This results in __________ moderates being elected.

Accepted Answer

Gerrymandering leads to the creation of districts that heavily favor one party or another, resulting in a primary election being the most important one for determining the final winner. This tends to increase the power of more extreme candidates and decrease the chances of moderates being elected, as primary voters tend to be more ideologically extreme than general election voters. Therefore, the correct answer is B, which indicates that fewer moderates are elected as a result of gerrymandering.

Question 13

Barriers to progressive reform include a __________.

Accepted Answer

The belief in individualism often creates resistance to government intervention and the idea of using collective action to address societal problems, which inhibits progressive reform efforts.

Question 14

Which of the following is a progressive proposal advanced by the authors of the text?

Accepted Answer

The authors of the text propose government programs that provide for those who can't do so for themselves, which is a progressive idea. Option A is incorrect because the authors do not suggest a moral obligation to the wealthy. Option C is incorrect because the authors do not mention a special commitment to adults. Option D is incorrect because the authors do not propose decreased taxes for everyone, which is actually a conservative idea.

Question 15

Sociologist Jay Belsky argues that we should treat child care as an investment similar to __________.

Accepted Answer

Jay Belsky argues that investing in high-quality child care can have long-term benefits for society, much like investing in infrastructure such as roads and bridges. Just as infrastructure investments can improve economic growth and productivity, investing in child care can improve children's outcomes and contribute to a stronger economy in the long run.

Question 16

Devolution includes __________.

Accepted Answer

Devolution generally refers to the transfer of power and responsibilities from a central government to lower-level governments or local authorities. It is often associated with a movement to return social and economic programs to the states, giving them more autonomy and control over how these programs are run. Devolution does not necessarily involve dismantling social programs like Affirmative Action, nor is it focused on redistributing wealth or promoting collectivism.

Question 17

Some people disagree with a strong centralized government and vote for moving all things down to the state level; historian Arthur Schlesinger,Jr.,points out that __________ has historically been more progressive..

Accepted Answer

Historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. argues that a strong centralized government has historically been more progressive. This is because a centralized government can implement consistent policies across all states and ensure that basic human rights are protected. Also, a strong central government can address national issues like economic inequality, civil rights, and environmental concerns more effectively than individual states could.

Question 18

Funds to finance a progressive agenda could come from __________.

Accepted Answer

Eliminating corporate welfare, which involves giving financial assistance to corporations, could generate revenue to support a progressive agenda. Decreasing taxes would reduce the amount of revenue the government collects and could make it more difficult to finance progressive policies. Reducing the education budget and eliminating food stamps would be counterproductive as they prevent the government from meeting its obligation to provide quality education and support for the most vulnerable members of society.

Question 19

The emergence of a __________ party is needed for progressive social policies to work.

Accepted Answer

Progressive social policies focus on addressing economic inequalities and class-based issues such as income inequality, access to education, and healthcare. A class-based party would be able to address these issues more effectively than a party centered around other identities such as race, gender or age.

Question 20

The 2010 Supreme Court decision to allow corporations and other organizations the right to give unlimited amounts of money to affect the political process is an example of how America has become a ___________.

Accepted Answer

A plutocracy is a form of government in which the wealthy class holds the power, and the decision by the Supreme Court to allow unlimited money to affect the political process can be interpreted as a move towards a system where economic power equals political power. This decision has given the wealthy and corporations a disproportionate amount of influence in the political process, which is a hallmark of a plutocracy.

Quiz 19: Progressive Plan to Solve Social Problems