Test Bank Analyzing Economic Inequalities Chapter 2

Test Bank

Chapter 2: Analyzing Economic Inequalities

Multiple Choice

1. What variables are used to determine an individual’s social class?

a. education, income, and occupation

b. occupation, wealth, and income

c. cultural capital, merit, and occupation

d. merit, income, and education

Learning Objective: 2.1: What are social class and economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Social Class

Difficulty Level: Medium

2. Robert has the right to legally own lower stratified people as if they were property. Robert’s society is stratified based on which criteria?

a. caste

b. slavery

c. estate

d. social class

Learning Objective: 2.1: What are social class and economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Defining Economic Inequality

Difficulty Level: Hard

3. George was born into the nobility. Susan was a serf living in the land he had lordship over. After a chance meeting, George and Susan were married, and Susan’s social position changed. This society is stratified based on which criteria?

a. caste

b. slavery

c. estate

d. social class

Learning Objective: 2.1: What are social class and economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Defining Economic Inequality

Difficulty Level: Hard

4. Silvia was born in a poor household, but was lucky enough to attend good schools over the course of her life. She applied herself to her studies, eventually obtained a medical degree, and became a wealthy doctor. Silvia’s society is stratified based on which criteria?

a. caste

b. slavery

c. estate

d. social class

Learning Objective: 2.1: What are social class and economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Defining Economic Inequality

Difficulty Level: Hard

5. In spite of the fact that Aisha was born a Shudra, or a low-status worker, her Hindu faith tells her that if she is a good person, she will be reborn into a higher group. She focuses not on her daily struggles, but instead on the better life she will have when she is reincarnated. Aisha’s society is stratified based on which criteria?

a. caste

b. slavery

c. estate

d. social class

Learning Objective: 2.1: What are social class and economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Defining Economic Inequality

Difficulty Level: Hard

6. Which perspective considers economic inequality to be good for society?

a. social reproduction theory

b. Davis-Moore hypothesis

c. negative wealth

d. redistribution policies

Learning Objective: 2.2: What are the different viewpoints on economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Explaining Economic Inequality

Difficulty Level: Easy

7. Which perspective theorizes economic inequality as an exclusive benefit to the wealthy and powerful?

a. social reproduction theory

b. Davis-Moore hypothesis

c. negative wealth

d. redistribution policies

Learning Objective: 2.2: What are the different viewpoints on economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Explaining Economic Inequality

Difficulty Level: Medium

8. According to the Davis-Moore hypothesis, what is the cause of economic inequality?

a. The rich and powerful exploit the poor.

b. The power structure of society legitimizes inequality.

c. Automation makes manual labor less valuable.

d. The fair distribution of societal rewards.

Learning Objective: 2.2: What are the different viewpoints on economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Davis-Moore hypothesis

Difficulty Level: Medium

9. The richest one percent of people in the world own about ______ of the world’s wealth.

a. one percent

b. one-fifth

c. one-third

d. one-half

Learning Objective: 2.3: How are wealth and income distributed in the United States and globally?

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Wealth Inequality in the United States and Globally

Difficulty Level: Easy

10. If you want to calculate your ______, you need to add up the value of everything you own, and subtract the amount of money you owe.

a. income

b. wealth

c. social class

d. retirement

Learning Objective: 2.3: How are wealth and income distributed in the United States and globally?

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Wealth and Income Gaps: How Much Inequality Exists?

Difficulty Level: Easy

11. Which Global North nation has the highest level of wealth inequality?

a. Canada

b. Japan

c. United States

d. Finland

Learning Objective: 2.3: How are wealth and income distributed in the United States and globally?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Wealth Inequality in the United States and Globally

Difficulty Level: Medium

12. Income inequality among nations has ______, while income inequality within nations has ______.

a. decreased; decreased

b. increased; increased

c. increased; decreased

d. decreased; increased

Learning Objective: 2.3: How are wealth and income distributed in the United States and globally?

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Income Inequality in the United States and Globally

Difficulty Level: Medium

13. Patrick graduated college and worked as a financial analyst for three years. The firm he worked for experienced a crisis due to fraudulent activity and he was laid off. He enjoyed a comfortable upper class lifestyle before he was laid off. After months of being unemployed, his house was under foreclosure and he suffered a devastating illness. Due to his special medical needs he went on government assistance and moved in with his brother’s family. Patrick’s shifting class position illustrates ______.

a. intragenerational mobility

b. intergenerational mobility

c. redistribution

d. meritocracy

Learning Objective: 2.4: What is the likelihood of moving up or down in social class in the United States?

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: The Question of Mobility

Difficulty Level: Hard

14. Valerie grew up middle class. She became one of the best surgeons in the country and ran a successful private practice. Valerie’s parents and grandparents were public school teachers and taught her the value of hard work and education. What describes the mobility she experienced compared to her parents’ generation?

a. intragenerational mobility

b. intergenerational mobility

c. redistribution

d. meritocracy

Learning Objective: 2.4: What is the likelihood of moving up or down in social class in the United States?

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: The Question of Mobility

Difficulty Level: Hard

15. When an individual has the ability to move up or down the social class ladder this is known as ______.

a. neoliberalism

b. cultural capital

c. mobility

d. stratified

Learning Objective: 2.4: What is the likelihood of moving up or down in social class in the United States?

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: The Question of Mobility

Difficulty Level: Easy

16. Ava was born into a middle-class household. When she graduated from high school, she decided to work for her father’s construction business instead of going to college. When her father retired, Ava took over the business and ultimately had a middle-class family of her own. What concept describes Ava’s experience?

a. negative wealth

b. mobility

c. stratified

d. social class reproduction

Learning Objective: 2.4: What is the likelihood of moving up or down in social class in the United States?

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Trends in Mobility

Difficulty Level: Hard

17. What variable is the strongest predictor of the social class status an individual attains throughout their life?

a. parent’s social class

b. educational attainment

c. neoliberalism

d. union membership

Learning Objective: 2.4: What is the likelihood of moving up or down in social class in the United States?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Trends in Mobility

Difficulty Level: Medium

18. Which perspective is characterized by a desire to lower taxes, weaken unions, decrease regulation, and increase the power wielded by corporations?

a. social class

b. neoliberalism

c. stratified

d. negative wealth

Learning Objective: 2.4: What is the likelihood of moving up or down in social class in the United States?

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Neoliberal Economic Policies

Difficulty Level: Medium

19. What policy calls for the government to move money from one group to another for the purposes of reducing economic inequality?

a. neoliberalism

b. Davis-Moore hypothesis

c. redistribution policies

d. social capital

Learning Objective: 2.4: What is the likelihood of moving up or down in social class in the United States?

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Neoliberal Economic Policies

Difficulty Level: Easy

20. It is common for Americans to wear clothes made in Southeast Asia due to outsourcing of manufacturing jobs. Multinational corporations can find cheap labor and import products at a low cost. Which concept describes this process?

a. civil liberties

b. social capital

c. cultural capital

d. globalization

Learning Objective: 2.4: What is the likelihood of moving up or down in social class in the United States?

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Globalization

Difficulty Level: Hard

21. Which statement is true about education in the United States?

a. College is more affordable now than ever before.

b. High school graduates earn about half of what a college graduate earns.

c. College is free for people on public assistance.

d. Public schools for K-12 equally prepare all students for higher education.

Learning Objective: 2.5: What has led to high levels of economic inequality in the United States?

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Educational Inequalities

Difficulty Level: Medium

22. How does social capital benefit people in the upper-class?

a. They can afford private tutors.

b. They have better health outcomes.

c. They are more likely to be wealthier than their parents.

d. They know people in power who can open up opportunities for them.

Learning Objective: 2.5: What has led to high levels of economic inequality in the United States?

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Educational Inequalities

Difficulty Level: Medium

23. Which is an example of cultural capital?

a. A person from the lower class has exceptional math ability and gets a full-ride scholarship to a public university.

b. A recent college graduate gets a prestigious internship with a recommendation from a family friend.

c. The society values good deeds over money.

d. The society values money over good deeds.

Learning Objective: 2.5: What has led to high levels of economic inequality in the United States?

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Educational Inequalities

Difficulty Level: Hard

24. How does economic inequality influence culture?

a. People work harder.

b. More people enroll in college.

c. People are less happy.

d. More people support welfare programs.

Learning Objective: 2.6: What are some social problems caused by high levels of economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Health Problems and Human Rights Violations

Difficulty Level: Medium

25. Which statement is true about crime in the United States?

a. The United States has one of the lowest violent crime rates in the Global North.

b. Economic inequality increases the murder rate.

c. Mental health issues are the highest predictor of homicide rates.

d. Non-violent property crimes decrease as economic inequality increases.

Learning Objective: 2.6: What are some social problems caused by high levels of economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Increased Violence

Difficulty Level: Medium

26. What is the relationship between economic inequality and democracy?

a. The most democratic societies are the most unequal.

b. Economically unequal countries are more likely to devolve into dictatorships.

c. There is more political turmoil in countries that redistribute wealth with progressive tax policy.

d. Economic inequality contributes to social cohesion because everyone knows their place.

Learning Objective: 2.6: What are some social problems caused by high levels of economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Government Instability

Difficulty Level: Medium

27. Countries with an unequal distribution of income and wealth are more likely to ______.

a. oppress civil liberties

b. fund public schools

c. produce more talent

d. have high rates of mobility

Learning Objective: 2.6: What are some social problems caused by high levels of economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Health Problems and Human Rights Violations

Difficulty Level: Medium

28. Which is a political consequence of high levels of economic inequality?

a. more political parties

b. landslide elections

c. citizens become complacent and apathetic

d. low-income people lack representation

Learning Objective: 2.6: What are some social problems caused by high levels of economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Harm to the Environment

Difficulty Level: Medium

29. Which social factor caused a recent decline of air quality in Japan?

a. oppression of the poor

b. government corruption

c. tariffs

d. climate change

Learning Objective: 2.6: What are some social problems caused by high levels of economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Harm to the Environment

Difficulty Level: Medium

30. People who live in areas with high economic inequality are more likely to ______.

a. remain single

b. get married

c. trust each other

d. vote

Learning Objective: 2.7: What can we do to reduce economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Problems for Individuals

Difficulty Level: Medium

31. Social reproduction assumes that society is ______ and the Davis-Moore hypothesis assumes that society is a/an ______.

a. fair; oligarchy

b. fair; meritocracy

c. unfair; oligarchy

d. unfair; meritocracy

Learning Objective: 2.7: What can we do to reduce economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Evaluating Solutions

Difficulty Level: Medium

32. Which president passed the New Deal?

a. Franklin D. Roosevelt

b. Lyndon B. Johnson

c. Barack Obama

d. Donald Trump

Learning Objective: 2.7: What can we do to reduce economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Evaluating Solutions

Difficulty Level: Easy

33. What was the purpose of the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933?

a. launching the Food Stamp Pan

b. establish unions

c. end child labor

d. regulation of banks

Learning Objective: 2.7: What can we do to reduce economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: The New Deal

Difficulty Level: Easy

34. Which president declared a War on Poverty?

a. Franklin D. Roosevelt

b. Lyndon B. Johnson

c. Barack Obama

d. Donald Trump

Learning Objective: 2.7: What can we do to reduce economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: The War on Poverty

Difficulty Level: Easy

35. Which statement is true about countries with higher tax rates?

a. Their economies grow slower.

b. They have less inequality and higher mobility rates.

c. They have high levels of economic inequality.

d. Their middle class suffers.

Learning Objective: 2.7: What can we do to reduce economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Neoliberal and Economic Redistribution Policies

Difficulty Level: Medium

36. If people’s incomes are mostly predicted by the income of their parents the country has a low level of ______.

a. neoliberalism

b. intergenerational mobility

c. intragenerational mobility

d. polarization

Learning Objective: 2.7: What can we do to reduce economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Neoliberal and Economic Redistribution Policies

Difficulty Level: Medium

37. How are minimum wage laws related to economic inequality?

a. A stagnant minimum wage contributes to economic inequality.

b. A low minimum wage helps the overall economy.

c. Countries with the lowest minimum wage are the most economically equal.

d. The United States lowered the minimum wage to get out of the Great Depression.

Learning Objective: 2.7: What can we do to reduce economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Neoliberal and Economic Redistribution Policies

Difficulty Level: Medium

38. What is the outcome of “Right-to-work” laws?

a. safer working conditions

b. weakening unions

c. strengthening unions

d. subsidized healthcare

Learning Objective: 2.7: What can we do to reduce economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Decline of Labor Unions

Difficulty Level: Medium

39. What was a victory for the Occupy Wall Street movement?

a. awareness of economic inequality

b. abolishing income tax

c. establishing an estate tax

d. support for neoliberalism

Learning Objective: 2.7: What can we do to reduce economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Occupy Wall Street

Difficulty Level: Medium

40. During which period of time did the United States increase income and wealth equality through economic policy?

a. 1900 to 1920

b. 1930 to 1960

c. 1970 to 2000

d. 2000 to present

Learning Objective: 2.7: What can we do to reduce economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: How Sociological Tools Can Help Us Understand and Address Economic Inequality

Difficulty Level: Easy

True/False

1. Stratification refers to the separation of members of a society into strata, or groups, that are arranged among a social hierarchy.

Learning Objective: 2.1: What are social class and economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Defining Economic Inequality

Difficulty Level: Medium

2. Economic inequality is essentially the same thing as economic contraction.

Learning Objective: 2.1: What are social class and economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Defining Economic Inequality

Difficulty Level: Easy

3. In order to determine someone’s social class, you must know about their education, occupation, and income.

Learning Objective: 2.1: What are social class and economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Social Class

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. The Davis-Moore hypothesis argues that inequality is a social problem that must be addressed.

Learning Objective: 2.2: What are the different viewpoints on economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Davis-Moore hypothesis

Difficulty Level: Medium

5. Social reproduction theory argues that those who succeed are not the ones who worked the hardest, but rather they are the ones who were born with more opportunities to begin with.

Learning Objective: 2.2: What are the different viewpoints on economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Social Reproduction Theory

Difficulty Level: Medium

6. If talented, hard-working people still face barriers to social mobility, then that suggests that social reproduction theory is a better approach to economic inequality than the Davis-Moore hypothesis.

Learning Objective: 2.2: What are the different viewpoints on economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Social Reproduction Theory

Difficulty Level: Medium

7. The richest 10% of households in the United States own approximately 80% of the country’s wealth.

Learning Objective: 2.3: How are wealth and income distributed in the United States and globally?

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Wealth Inequality in the United States and Globally

Difficulty Level: Easy

8. The richest 10% of households in the United States own a smaller percentage of the country’s wealth when compared to Canada, Belgium, and Japan.

Learning Objective: 2.3: How are wealth and income distributed in the United States and globally?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Wealth Inequality in the United States and Globally

Difficulty Level: Medium

9. When you owe more than the value of everything you own, this is known as negative wealth.

Learning Objective: 2.3: How are wealth and income distributed in the United States and globally?

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Wealth Inequality in the United States and Globally

Difficulty Level: Easy

10. Hailie experienced intragenerational mobility when she graduated medical school, got a great paying job, and was able to attain a higher social class than her parents.

Learning Objective: 2.4: What is the likelihood of moving up or down in social class in the United States?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Question of Mobility

Difficulty Level: Medium

11. Since the 1980s, intergenerational income mobility has started to decrease.

Learning Objective: 2.4: What is the likelihood of moving up or down in social class in the United States?

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Trends in Mobility

Difficulty Level: Easy

12. The most predictive variables of an American’s social class are their talents, skills, and merit.

Learning Objective: 2.4: What is the likelihood of moving up or down in social class in the United States?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Trends in Mobility

Difficulty Level: Medium

13. The main cause of social class reproduction is the transmission of a poor work ethic from parents to children.

Learning Objective: 2.4: What is the likelihood of moving up or down in social class in the United States?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Trends in Mobility

Difficulty Level: Medium

14. On average, American women make 80 cents for every dollar a man makes.

Learning Objective: 2.5: What has led to high levels of economic inequality in the United States?

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Sexism

Difficulty Level: Easy

15. Children from wealthy households benefit from cultural capital thanks to their influential connections to people who can help them get a leg up on the competition.

Learning Objective: 2.5: What has led to high levels of economic inequality in the United States?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Educational Inequalities

Difficulty Level: Medium

16. Being skilled and knowledgeable about leisure activities enjoyed by the upper class, such as golf or sailing, is one form of cultural capital that can help people get ahead in upper class society.

Learning Objective: 2.5: What has led to high levels of economic inequality in the United States?

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Educational Inequalities

Difficulty Level: Easy

17. White full-time employees have the highest average income for any racial group.

Learning Objective: 2.5: What has led to high levels of economic inequality in the United States?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Racism

Difficulty Level: Medium

18. Women are more likely than men to choose jobs with flexible schedules because they are less likely to be expected to pay household bills.

Learning Objective: 2.5: What has led to high levels of economic inequality in the United States?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Sexism

Difficulty Level: Medium

19. Economic inequality only causes negative societal consequences if the poorest members of a society do not make enough money to take care of their basic needs.

Learning Objective: 2.6: What are some social problems caused by high levels of economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Social Problems Caused by Economic Inequality

Difficulty Level: Easy

20. Economic inequality results in an imbalance of political power; as a result, poorer citizens have less success fighting back against high-polluting corporations in their communities.

Learning Objective: 2.6: What are some social problems caused by high levels of economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Harm to the Environment

Difficulty Level: Medium

21. High economic inequality within a country is correlated with lower levels of social mobility.

Learning Objective: 2.6: What are some social problems caused by high levels of economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Loss of Contributions to Society

Difficulty Level: Easy

22. Increases in economic inequality are strongly correlated with increases in violent crime.

Learning Objective: 2.6: What are some social problems caused by high levels of economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Increased Violence

Difficulty Level: Easy

23. While government policies can increase economic inequality, they are capable of reducing economic inequality as well.

Learning Objective: 2.7: What can we do to reduce economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Solving the Social Problem of Economic Inequality: Policies, Movements, and Action

Difficulty Level: Easy

24. The Davis-Moore hypothesis argues that economic inequality can be reduced if laws are created to ensure that people have similar opportunities and resources to succeed, no matter what social class they were born into.

Learning Objective: 2.7: What can we do to reduce economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Solutions Based on Social Reproduction Theory

Difficulty Level: Medium

25. Social reproduction theory argues that high levels of economic inequality are good for society.

Learning Objective: 2.7: What can we do to reduce economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Solutions Based on Social Reproduction Theory

Difficulty Level: Medium

26. Neoliberal economic policies are more successful in reducing poverty than Johnson’s War on Poverty-era policies.

Learning Objective: 2.7: What can we do to reduce economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The War on Poverty

Difficulty Level: Medium

27. In spite of the lofty goals, policies advocated by President Johnson in his “War on Poverty” was ultimately unable to decrease poverty rates in the United States.

Learning Objective: 2.7: What can we do to reduce economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: The War on Poverty

Difficulty Level: Easy

28. When a state adopts “right-to-work” laws, the pay decreases for both union and non-union employees.

Learning Objective: 2.7: What can we do to reduce economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: The Decline of Labor Unions

Difficulty Level: Easy

29. Occupy Wall Street helped spur the movement for a $15/hour minimum wage.

Learning Objective: 2.7: What can we do to reduce economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Occupy Wall Street

Difficulty Level: Medium

30. Social movements are rarely successful in raising awareness about economic inequality.

Learning Objective: 2.7: What can we do to reduce economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Occupy Wall Street

Difficulty Level: Easy

Short Answer

1. What variables are used to determine an individuals’ social class?

Learning Objective: 2.1: What are social class and economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Social Class

Difficulty Level: Medium

2. Describe how different systems of stratification permit, or prohibit, movement up or down in the social hierarchy.

Learning Objective: 2.1: What are social class and economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Defining Economic Inequality

Difficulty Level: Medium

3. Social reproduction theory and the Davis-Moore hypothesis each identify people who benefit from economic inequality. For each approach, identify who benefits from economic inequality and why.

Learning Objective: 2.2: What are the different viewpoints on economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Explaining Economic Inequality

Difficulty Level: Medium

4. Compare the concepts of wealth and income.

Learning Objective: 2.3: How are wealth and income distributed in the United States and globally?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Wealth and Income Gaps: How Much Inequality Exists?

Difficulty Level: Medium

5. Compare intergenerational mobility and intragenerational mobility.

Learning Objective: 2.4: What is the likelihood of moving up or down in social class in the United States?

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: The Question of Mobility

Difficulty Level: Medium

6. How do neoliberal policies and redistributive policies impact economic inequality in the United States?

Learning Objective: 2.4: What is the likelihood of moving up or down in social class in the United States?

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Neoliberal and Economic Redistribution Policies

Difficulty Level: Medium

7. What are social and cultural capitals, and why are they important?

Learning Objective: 2.5: What has led to high levels of economic inequality in the United States?

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Educational Inequalities

Difficulty Level: Medium

8. Describe some of the societal health problems caused by economic inequality.

Learning Objective: 2.6: What are some social problems caused by high levels of economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Health Problems and Human Rights Violations

Difficulty Level: Medium

9. What economic policies have been suggested to reduce economic inequality?

Learning Objective: 2.7: What can we do to reduce economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Neoliberal and economic redistribution policies

Difficulty Level: Medium

Essay

1. Meritocracy is the widely-shared cultural belief that people who experience economic success in the United States were rewarded for their hard work, dedication, and skill. How does this belief impact how the public views the upper classes and the lower classes?

Learning Objective: 2.1: What are social class and economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Social Class

Difficulty Level: Medium

2. In terms of social class position and economic prosperity, is it more desirable to obtain a high paying job and have little wealth or have a moderately paying job and substantial amount of wealth? Explain your answer.

Learning Objective: 2.3: How are wealth and income distributed in the United States and globally?

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Wealth and Income Gaps: How Much Inequality Exists?

Difficulty Level: Hard

3. Explain the structural reasons why social class mobility has decreased in recent years. What do you think is the most consequential reason, and why?

Learning Objective: 2.4: What is the likelihood of moving up or down in social class in the United States?

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Why Mobility Has Declined in Recent Decades

Difficulty Level: Hard

4. Social problems such as racism, sexism, and unequal access to educational opportunities have also exacerbated economic inequality. Examine how each of these social problems has increased the gap between the haves and the have-nots.

Learning Objective: 2.5: What has led to high levels of economic inequality in the United States?

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Social problems that cause economic inequality

Difficulty Level: Medium

5. Research suggests that economic inequality leads to negative consequences for large numbers of people in society. Discuss social problems that emerge from high levels of economic inequality. Be sure to examine both problems that exist at the institutional level (e.g., the government, the economy, etc.), as well as problems that impact people on an individual level.

Learning Objective: 2.6: What are some social problems caused by high levels of economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Social Problems Caused by Economic Inequality

Difficulty Level: Medium

6. Identify and explain at least one policy difference between the United States and the rest of the Global North that contributes to the United State’s higher rate of economic inequality.

Learning Objective: 2.7: What can we do to reduce economic inequality?

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Neoliberal and Economic Redistribution Policies

Difficulty Level: Hard