Deck 8: Economics

Question 1

Wage employment of children under age 14 is nearly universally condemned for all of the following reasons except:

A) children are often exploited.
B) children often work in unsafe and dangerous conditions.
C) children lose their opportunity for proper education.
D) children cannot earn enough money to help their families.
E) children are exposed to dangerous substances.

Answer 1

children cannot earn enough money to help their families.

Question 2

Which of the following is not a major difference between business firms and households as productive units?

A) The business firm is a more productive unit than the household.
B) The household unit performs more functions than the business firm.
C) The business firm is more self-sufficient than the household.
D) The household uses some of its resources for non-productive ends.
E) The business firm is almost exclusively a unit of production.

Answer 2

The business firm is more self-sufficient than the household.

Question 3

In most industrialized societies,the basic unit of production is the:

A) individual.
B) household.
C) village.
D) government.
E) private company.

Answer 3

private company.

Question 4

Formal economic theory is based on studies of:

A) tribal societies.
B) industrialized societies.
C) European societies since 1995.
D) European societies since the Industrial Revolution.
E) pre-colonial Western societies.

Question 5

In a number of developing countries today:

A) a decreasing number of children under age 14 engage in wage employment.
B) children only work on household chores and are not allowed to work in factories.
C) children are prohibited by their religion to work for wages.
D) an increasing number of children under age 12 are engaged in wage employment.
E) children are being replaced by women as the primary wage earners for the family.

Question 6

Economic anthropologists study production,distribution,and consumption:

A) only in industrialized societies of the world.
B) only in the non-industrialized societies of the world.
C) in all of the societies in the world, industrialized and non-industrialized.
D) only in the pastoral societies of the world.
E) in all societies where there is market exchange.

Question 7

Obtaining goods from the natural environment and transforming them into usable objects is called:

A) distribution.
B) consumption.
C) specialization.
D) production.
E) manufacture.

Question 8

In most non-industrialized societies,the basic unit of production is the:

A) individual.
B) household.
C) village.
D) government.
E) private company.

Question 9

Western social scientists often speak about the "tragedy of the commons." What do they mean by this concept? Most scientists:

A) believe that common lands will be misused because of human maximization of resources (greed).
B) believe that in large urban areas there is not concern or sense of stewardship exerted over parks and public free spaces.
C) define the commons as the global marketplace today. It is tragic because it destroys small businesses and families.
D) argue that any land which is not owned individually can be appropriated for government use.
E) argue that state lands should be owned by the government because it preserves the land for the use of all citizens.

Question 10

Sex and age are the basis for the division of labor in:

A) only food collecting societies.
B) only pastoralist societies.
C) only food producing societies.
D) all societies.
E) all state societies.

Question 11

Land is most likely owned by an extended kinship group among:

A) food collectors.
B) horticulturalists.
C) pastoralists.
D) intensive agriculturalists.
E) industrial agriculturalists.

Question 12

Rules that govern the allocation of resources and how they are used are found in:

A) very few societies.
B) only food-collecting societies.
C) Western societies only.
D) all societies in the world.
E) all food-producing societies.

Question 13

Reciprocity refers to an exchange of goods and/or services of:

A) unequal value that occurs at the same moment in time.
B) exactly the same value that occurs over a short period of time.
C) relatively equal value between two parties without the use of money.
D) unequal value between elites and commoners in a state society.
E) relatively equal value between more than two parties that sometimes involves the use of money.

Question 14

All of the following are potential limitations to personal property rights in the United States except:

A) right of eminent domain.
B) availability of resources.
C) zoning laws.
D) title and ownership of property.
E) foreign land ownership.

Question 15

A worker at age 65 receiving a gold watch at retirement is an example of:

A) the waning physical and mental strength of the elderly.
B) the allocation of tasks by age.
C) negative reciprocity.
D) gender specialization.
E) productive distribution of resources.

Question 16

The universal division of labor based on sex may occur because:

A) men always have greater strength than women.
B) men are always afraid of taking care of children, unlike women.
C) in terms of reproduction, men tend to be more expendable than women.
D) in terms of social skills, men are more likely to want to interact publicly than women.
E) women most frequently choose to spend time with their children.

Question 17

Food collecting communities' control of land rights:

A) is uniform in all food collecting societies.
B) is learned from contact with the surrounding societies (they tend to follow the same rules).
C) varies because in some societies territorial boundaries between bands or families are rigorously maintained.
D) is likely to continue long into the future in spite of contact with outside societies.
E) tends to be more legalistic when these communities are part of a state society.

Question 18

Today we see more and more families developing family businesses.In a recent study,Hernandez Licona found that:

A) the greater the family's political influence, the more likely they were to start a family business.
B) the more religious the family, the more likely they were to start a family business.
C) the stronger the ethnic affiliations within the family, the more likely they were to start a new business.
D) the smaller the family in size, the more likely they were to start a family business.
E) the lower the level of education in the family, the more likely they were to start a family business.

Question 19

Formal economic theory is based on assumptions such as:

A) the value of a particular commodity decreases as it becomes more scarce.
B) only occasionally do people maximize their material well-being.
C) people, when exchanging goods and services, naturally strive to maximize material well-being and profits.
D) families will compete against each other to assert rights of ownership and allocation.
E) in societies where there is formal market exchange (commercialism), the market will determine all economic activities of individuals.

Question 20

In terms of private property rights to land,which statement is true?

A) Food collectors seldom have the notion of personal land ownership.
B) Only elites in pastoral societies own pasture lands.
C) Only chiefs in horticultural societies own the land that is planted.
D) In food-producing societies all individuals have private land ownership.
E) All state societies have private individual land ownership.

Question 21

What is a "user anthropologist"?

A) an anthropologist who uses anthropological knowledge and data-gathering techniques to assist in the marketing of products
B) an anthropologist who gathers data from one country and situation and applies what they have learned to other areas
C) an anthropologist who works for corporations as a both a producer and distributor
D) an anthropologist who works on the commercial market selling goods and services
E) an anthropologist who abuses informants and violates ethical principles

Question 22

Which statement about tribute,or chiefly redistribution,is true?

A) It is found most often in hunting and gathering societies.
B) It is based on the principle of equitable distribution among the parties.
C) It functions to affirm the power of the chief and the solidarity of the people.
D) It functions to allocate resources from commoners to the chief so that she or he can survive.
E) It is used by chiefs as a way to obtain standing armies and military men to support their political power.

Question 23

What is "silent trade"?

A) Trade in which there is no fixed value associated with the goods being exchanged
B) Trade in which the partners never know each other's identity
C) Trade in which the items being exchanged are not known in advance (one accepts whatever is offered)
D) Trade in which the partners have no face-to-face contact
E) Trade in which no goods are exchanged - only services

Question 24

What is the primary reason for balanced reciprocity?

A) To exchange surplus goods for those that are in short supply
B) To create social networks and political alliances
C) To locate marriage partners
D) To develop long-range trade networks that extend beyond the immediate vicinity
E) To allocate resources among various social classes within a society.

Question 25

A potlatch is considered an example of:

A) generalized reciprocity.
B) negative reciprocity.
C) market exchange.
D) prestige economy.
E) silent trade.

Question 26

Anthropologists who have become involved in market research for companies have introduced which innovative techniques?

A) statistical analysis
B) focus groups
C) open-ended interviews
D) gathering data on what people actually do rather than what they say they do
E) working to make changes that increase the value of the product

Question 27

All of the following are characteristics of informal markets except:

A) unregulated workers.
B) self-employed individuals.
C) illegal activities.
D) no taxation of sales.
E) a wide variety of goods and services.

Question 28

All of the following are functions (or consequences)associated with bridewealth except:

A) legalizing marriage.
B) legitimating children.
C) creating bonds between relatives.
D) maintaining equitable distribution in society.
E) increasing divorce rates.

Question 29

Today there are two fundamentally different types of markets.What are they?

A) markets that use standardized money and those that include barter
B) geographically-bounded markets and those open via websites (internet)
C) markets that focus on foodstuffs and markets that focus on services
D) urban markets and rural markets
E) markets that incur taxation and those that are informal

Question 30

Which of the following is known as a "self-made leader"?

A) Chief
B) Big Man
C) Slave
D) Elder
E) Provost

Question 31

The type of social solidarity based on an increase in the complexity of labor specialization is known as:

A) mechanical solidarity.
B) organic solidarity.
C) industrial solidarity.
D) reciprocal solidarity.
E) mechanistic solidarity.

Question 32

Redistribution,as a principle of exchange,includes all of the following except:

A) big men and feast givers.
B) bridewealth.
C) potlatch.
D) tribute.
E) silent trade.

Question 33

Tribute is a form of redistribution that:

A) is found only among foraging societies.
B) can be found in chiefdoms with no standardized currency.
C) includes the Kula Ring of the Trobriand Islands.
D) is found in all market economies.
E) can be found in all societies.

Question 34

The potlatch,as practiced by the Northwest Coast Indians,served to do all of the following except:

A) show preservation of physical resources.
B) confer status on generous givers.
C) distribute material goods to a wide range of people.
D) maintain regional stability.
E) measure prestige of the host.

Question 35

In its international expansion to Germany,what simple cultural mistake did Wal-Mart make?

A) It sold goods at a discount.
B) Its employees were encouraged to smile at customers.
C) It displayed goods too low to the floor.
D) It sold competing brands of goods
E) It offered buying incentives to the public and employees.

Question 36

Generalized reciprocity usually occurs:

A) in highly industrialized societies.
B) among labor and management in Western corporations.
C) among family members and close friends.
D) in racially-segregated societies.
E) as charity for poor people.

Question 37

Every state economy today is a blend of both:

A) free markets and formal markets.
B) government control and informal markets.
C) formal markets and black markets.
D) informal markets and free markets.
E) government control and free markets.

Question 38

The Kula Ring of the Trobriand Islanders is an example of:

A) generalized reciprocity.
B) balanced reciprocity.
C) negative reciprocity.
D) redistribution.
E) market exchange.

Question 39

Market exchange systems require:

A) heavy face-to-face contact.
B) a non-standardized currency.
C) a complex division of labor.
D) only a small amount of surplus production.
E) high amounts of status and prestige.

Question 40

What is the major prerequisite of market exchange?

A) that the value of a good is based on supply and demand
B) that exchange be based on currency
C) that exchange occurs within a commercial environment
D) that the goods and services are culturally relevant
E) that distribution occurs among a minimum of two parties

Question 41

In most hunting and gathering societies,land is not owned privately.

Question 42

If food and water supplies are predictable and fixed in location,then food-foraging societies tend to have highly flexible boundaries.

Question 43

Most horticulturalists live on communally-controlled lands.

Question 44

The mortality rate for pregnancy and childbirth-related causes in Afghanistan is much higher than in the U.S.and is estimated at:

A) 1 in 157 women
B) 1 in 62 women
C) 1 in 764 women
D) 1 in 567 women
E) 1 in 4,800 women

Question 45

Substantivism is the view that classic economic theory can be applied to all human societies and cultures.

Question 46

What kinds of applied work are the U.S.Marines doing in Afghanistan to help women?

A) Female soldiers are befriending Afghan women to provide medical care for those who need it.
B) Female soldiers are teaching women various kinds of manual arts so that they can produce items for sell in the U.S.
C) Male soldiers are working to teach Afghan men how to respect women and provide for their families.
D) The Marines are running childcare camps so that women are able to work outside the home.
E) The Marines are training female Afghans to protect their homes and families.

Question 47

The household is the basic unit of production in most industrialized societies.

Question 48

The pro-corporation perspective supporting globalization is most associated with which country?

A) United States
B) France
C) Italy
D) Spain
E) Argentina

Question 49

Why were there protests the 1999 Seattle World Trade Organization meetings?

A) Because many countries were excluded and wished to join the developed world
B) To raise awareness of social justice and democratic participation throughout the world
C) To open more factories and create more jobs in the United States
D) To increase the amounts of free trade and open competition between large and small producers
E) To do away with all government subsidies for poor nations

Question 50

In what decade did globalization emerge as a primary worldwide process?

A) 1850s
B) 1880s
C) 1950s
D) 1980s
E) 1990s

Question 51

All of the following are issues that are of significant concern to reaching social equity in the world of trade except:

A) enforcing international labor standards
B) enforcing international environmental standards
C) improving international governance
D) providing a level playing field for poorer countries
E) improving cultural standards

Question 52

Sex and age are the universal bases for the division of labor.

Question 53

Which of the following crops is highly subsidized by the United States government in order to make it more competitive worldwide?

A) peaches
B) apples
C) cotton
D) potatoes
E) green beans

Question 54

Women and men have distinct roles only because men have greater body mass and strength.

Question 55

What is the basic premise that drives the process of globalization?

A) Formal economy is much better than informal economy.
B) Economies worldwide will improve if we utilize the lessons of the Industrial Revolution and focus solely on import and export.
C) Economies will be healthier and will grow better if we operate with free markets with free trade and competition.
D) Global trade will increase cultural homogeneity and decrease incidence of warfare and intolerance.
E) Economies should be left alone because no country can actually regulate them.

Question 56

The three key dimensions of cross-cultural economic systems are regulation of resources,production,and exchange.

Question 57

The "tragedy of the commons" is well documented in food collecting societies.

Question 58

Which of the following has not become globalized?

A) production
B) distribution
C) manufacturing
D) design
E) all of these have become globalized

Question 59

Economic anthropologists assume that individuals,as well as corporations,are motivated primarily by the desire to maximize their material well-being.

Question 60

Which of the following organizations works specifically to educate Afghan women and provide basic health care?

A) UNICEF
B) Women for Women International
C) Middle Eastern Family Relief Organization
D) Afghanistan International Health Services
E) Women's Relief Society

Question 61

What is the system of exchange among the Trobriand Islanders that involves an elaborate and ritualized exchange of shell bracelets and necklaces called?

Question 62

Found among the Indians of the Northwest Coast,the potlatch is a mechanism of both redistribution and social ranking.

Question 63

Wal-Mart has been very successful in Germany because from the beginning it understood how to adapt its retail operations to the German culture.

Question 64

Americans tend to be more positive and optimistic about globalization than do the Italians or the French.

Question 65

Name and describe three types of reciprocity.

Question 66

What are the major differences between substantivism and formalism in economic theory?

Question 67

What forms can negative reciprocity take?

Question 68

Give three reasons for opposing wage employment of children under 14 years of age:

Question 69

The exchanges between parents and children in the United States are examples of reciprocity.

Question 70

Compare and contrast the chief with the Big Man.

Question 71

Why were the protests so violent during the 1999 World Trade Organization meetings in Seattle,Washington?

Question 72

People from the United States are now traveling to India and Thailand for hip replacements and organ transplants.

Question 73

The process of globalization of world economies has had the effect of reducing the gap between the rich and the poor.

Question 74

Big men are the formal chiefs of New Guinea societies who control the production of their followers without engaging in similar productive activities.

Question 75

What is one of the major negative consequences of globalization?

Question 76

Sub-Saharan Africa continues to witness an increase in dependence on child labor.

Question 77

Evidence suggests that during economic downturns family businesses increase.

Question 78

What is a prestige economy?

Question 79

The Kula Ring,an example of negative reciprocity,functioned as a system of exchange of goods.

Question 80

Define standardized currency.