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Contemporary Social Problems Ch.2 Homework
1 ) The authors point out that the problems that exist in U.S. society largely result from
A)
B)
C)
D)
the distribution of power.
the form the U.S. economy takes.
the system being undermined by those who criticize the system.
both A and B
2) For pure capitalism to exist, all of the following conditions must be presentexcept
A) private ownership of property.
C) competition.
B) pursuit of personal profit.
D) government regulation of competition.
3) The three conditions necessary to the existence of pure capitalism depend on
A) individual self-fulfillment.
C) laisez-faire government policy.
B) maximizing personal gain.
D) general material progress of society.
4 ) When Adam Smith argued that an "invisible hand" regulates the economy, he was referring to
A) entrepreneurial wisdom.
C) free and open competition.
B) consumer backlash.
D) government intervention.
5) The key to differentiating between authentic and spurious socialism is
A)
B)
C)
D)
6) According to Karl
Marx,
to ensure that individuals own the means of production.
a government policy of laissez-faire.
to determine who makes the decisions and whose interests are served.
All of the above are true.
the free enterprise system will result in, among other things,
A) democratic governments.
C) individual fulfillment.
B) monopolies.
D) state ownership of corporations.
7) Karl Marx asserted that capitalism has within it the seeds of its own destruction because of all of the
following reasons except
A) demands for labor-saving machinery.
B) the inevitability of monopolies.
C) the lack of centralized planning.
D) control of the state by the majority.
8) Mega-mergers have all of the following negative consequences except
A)
B)
C)
D)
they
they
they
they
increase the centralization of capital.
eliminate jobs.
increase corporate debt.
increase the power of workers, unions, and governments.
9) Interlocking directorates (the linkage between corporations) take the form of
A)
B)
C)
D)
individuals serving on the board of directors of two or more companies, whic h is a
direct interlock.
two people who are related serving on the board of a company, creating a virtual
interlock.
two companies each have a director on the board of a third, which creates an
indirect interlock.
Both A and C are true.
10) The consequences of corporations shifting production from the U.S. to other countries include all of the
following except
A)
B)
C)
D)
loss or reduction in the number of semi-skilled and unskilled jobs in the U.S.
accumulation of enormous power and its being wielded by gigantic
multi-national corporations.
more equal distribution of resources and, consequently, of well -being across all
groups in society.
multi-national corporations tend to meddle in the internal affairs of other nations.
11) Factors that explain the increase in the inequality gap in the 12.5. includes all of the following except
A)
B)
C)
D)
increased tax benefits going to the affluent from changing tax laws
during the I980s and 1990s.
decreases in salaries to corporate executives because of the do wnsizing
of corporations.
changed job structures because of the shift from a manufacturing to
a service economy.
All of the above are t r u e .
1 2 ) The U.S. principle of majority rule is violated by special interests that use all of the following means to
accomplish their goals except
A)
B)
C)
D)
representing the interests of minority groups, the poor, and
the mentally retarded.
slick brochures, technical reports, and expert testimony
on matters of national interest.
large campaign contributions to political candidates.
secret slush funds, easy-term loans, and high-paying corporate
directorships.
13) Contributors of large sums of money to political campaigns receive which of the following benefits?
A)
B)
C)
D)
access to politicians
influence over the positions of politicians on public issues
Both A and B are true.
None of the above are true.
14) The interests of the power elite are served in a number of ways, including all of the following except
A)
B)
C)
D)
the elite 's influence over elected and appointed government officials at
all levels.
the structure of the social, economic, and political systems.
the elites ideological control of the masses.
individual decisions made by owners of small businesses.
15) Subsidies by the government to big business include all of the following except
A)
B)
government subsidies, such as tax breaks and low-interest loans, to private corporations.
government's guarantee of unfettered access to public airways through public ownership
of broadcast facilities
government's funding of development of new technology that is turned over to
private companies.
government's system of legal loopholes on federal income taxes available to businesses.
C)
D)
1 6 ) Which of the following is a characteristic of the systemic imperatives the authors discuss?
A)
B)
C)
D)
the inertia of institutions that happens because no change is easier than change
the promotion of domestic tranquility by the government squelching dissidents
participation in the political system by those who represent a wide a r r a y of interests
Both A and B are true.
17) Piven and Cloward conclude that governmental assistance to the poor is provided when
A)
policy analysts have conducted extensive studies and are convinced of the plight
of the poor.
U.S. Census statistics document that the poor make up more than 15 percent
of the population.
there is a Democratic majority in Congress.
there is a threat of political disorder.
B)
C)
D)
18) The principles of "trickle-down" economics are adopted by government because
A) government officials, who tend to come from the business lass, bring a
conservative ideology to office with them.
B) government officials are more likely to hear the arguments of the powerful because
the weak are poorly organized.
C) Both A and B are true.
D) None of the above are true.
19 ) The authors produce all of the following as evidence to their argument that the powerless bear
the burden of carrying the cost of the system that benefits the powerful except
A)
B)
C)
D)
corporations that are owned by the powerful pay more
than their share of taxes, leaving the poor to provide the
needed labor.
when threatened by war the government institutes a
military draft through which a much greater proportion of
the poor is drafted than the well-to-do.
the poor absorb the costs of societal changes by doing the
back-breaking work on government projects that most
benefit the wealthy.
a certain level of unemployment (of the poor) is
maintained continuously, not just during economic
downturns.
20) The relationship between U.S. foreign policy and corporate interests is demonstrated by al l of the following
except
A)
B)
C)
D)
the government peddles military goods overseas for the profit of arms merchants.
the government supports tyrannical governments if they support U.S. multi -national corporations.
the government provides foreign aid that largely goe s to benefit the poor in other countries.
the government directly intervenes in the domestic affairs of foreign governments in
order to protect U.S. corporate interests