Question 1

Zero-sum describes situations where on person's advantage depends on another's disadvantage.

Accepted Answer

In zero-sum situations, the gain of one person or group is balanced by the loss of another person or group, resulting in a zero-sum outcome.

Question 2

Technological improvements that reduce labor are usually followed by heightened expectations and higher standards of quality that require more labor and wipe out the original savings.

Accepted Answer

This is known as the "productivity paradox," where advancements in technology lead to increased efficiency and lower costs, but also higher expectations for quality and performance that require more labor and resources to meet.

Question 3

The treadmill of production describes the invisible hand that pushes capitalism.

Accepted Answer

The treadmill of production is a concept in environmental sociology that describes the constant need for economic growth and increased production in capitalist societies, often leading to environmental degradation, not the "invisible hand" which is a metaphor for the self-regulating nature of the marketplace.

Question 4

The theory of disproportionality says that most industrial pollution comes from relatively few sources.

Accepted Answer

The theory of disproportionality suggests that a large share of industrial pollution comes from a small number of sources.

Question 5

The crisis of underproduction suggests that producers undermine their ability to produce goods by externalizing environmental and social consequences of production.

Accepted Answer

The crisis of underproduction is a theory that suggests that producers prioritize short-term profits over long-term sustainability and undermine their ability to produce goods by externalizing environmental and social consequences of production. This leads to a crisis of underproduction, where resources are depleted, workers are exploited, and communities are harmed.

Question 6

The problem of the original capitalist is the ever-present wage-price gap.

Accepted Answer

The wage-price gap refers to the difference between the wages that workers are paid and the prices of goods and services. The original capitalist, as envisioned by economists like Adam Smith, believed that this gap could be closed by competition among businesses which would lead to lower prices, and in turn, higher demand for goods and services. However, in reality, the wage-price gap has persisted and is seen as a central issue in modern capitalism.

Question 7

Capitalism works because of debt.

Accepted Answer

Capitalism relies heavily on debt as a means of financing investments and growth, both for individuals and businesses. This debt allows for the funding of more capital-intensive projects and fuels consumer spending, which drives economic activity. However, it is important to note that relying too heavily on debt can also lead to financial instability and economic crises.

Question 8

What is the metabolic rift?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the metabolic rift?...

Question 9

Give an example of how large-scale hog confinements negatively impact each of the following: 1) sustainability, 2) environmental justice, and 3) the rights and beauty of nature.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Give an example of how large-scale hog...

Question 10

Using factory farms as an example, explain why externalities often remain "external"?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Using factory farms as an example, explain...

Question 11

It is widely argued that one of the primary causes of environmental decline worldwide is the structural need of capitalist economies to grow, leading to ever more withdrawals from the bank account of ecological productivity. What are the structural origins of the need for capitalist economies to grow? Note: The best answers will cover the role of both production and consumption in explaining the need for economic growth?

Accepted Answer

The answer of It is widely argued that one of...

Question 12

Explain how our attitudes toward money contribute to economic growth?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain how our attitudes toward money contribute...

Question 13

Explain how the controversial expansion of large-scale hog confinements (factory farms) in Iowa contributes to each of the following: 1) the politics of treadmills and 2) the invisible communities. Give examples.?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain how the controversial expansion of large-scale...

Question 14

Explain how the treadmill of production and the treadmill of consumption are "dialogically interconnected."?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain how the treadmill of production and...

Question 15

Matching: Please match the term, thinker, and/or text with its complement or correspondent , by placing the appropriate identification letter/number in the space provided. (You may use answers more than once.)
-____ Robert K. Merton

Accepted Answer

Robert K. Merton is associated with the concept of the "accumulation of advantage," which refers to how small advantages can accumulate over time, leading to significant disparities.

Question 16

Matching: Please match the term, thinker, and/or text with its complement or correspondent , by placing the appropriate identification letter/number in the space provided. (You may use answers more than once.)
-____ Alan Schnaiberg

Accepted Answer

Alan Schnaiberg is associated with the Treadmill of Production, which describes the relentless pursuit of economic growth and the consumption of natural resources that leads to environmental degradation.

Answer: C
 The Urban Growth Machine theory is associated with Harvey Molotch and John Logan, who argue that urban development is driven by a coalition of powerful actors who benefit from it, such as real estate developers, politicians, and business leaders.

Answer: D
 The term Invisible Hand is associated with Adam Smith, who argued that market forces and self-interest guide economic activity towards the common good.

Answer: G
 World Systems theory is associated with Immanuel Wallerstein, who argued that the world economy is divided into a core of developed nations and a periphery of underdeveloped nations that provide raw materials and cheap labor.

Answer: K
 The Crisis of Overproduction is associated with Karl Marx, who argued that capitalism is prone to periodic economic crises caused by an overproduction of goods and a lack of markets to absorb them.

Question 17

Matching: Please match the term, thinker, and/or text with its complement or correspondent , by placing the appropriate identification letter/number in the space provided. (You may use answers more than once.)
-____ Harvey Molotch & John Logan

Accepted Answer

Harvey Molotch & John Logan are known for the concept of the "Urban growth machine," which describes how local elites and coalitions promote urban development to increase land values and economic growth.

Question 18

Matching: Please match the term, thinker, and/or text with its complement or correspondent , by placing the appropriate identification letter/number in the space provided. (You may use answers more than once.)
-____ Adam Smith

Accepted Answer

Adam Smith is associated with the concept of the "invisible hand," which describes the self-regulating nature of the marketplace.

Question 19

Matching: Please match the term, thinker, and/or text with its complement or correspondent , by placing the appropriate identification letter/number in the space provided. (You may use answers more than once.)
-____ Michael Jacobs

Accepted Answer

The answer of Matching: Please match the term, thinker, and/or...

Question 20