The Minamata disease, a disease which produced severe nervous disorders and birth defects, was traced to the fact that the Chisso chemical company dumped mercury into a bay where Japanese villagers fished. The villagers of Minamata, where the company was located, refused to sue the chemical company. However, the residents of Niigata, a fishing village forty miles up the river from the factory, sued the chemical company. Which of the following explanations flows from the conflict paradigm?
A)The Minamata victims were less likely to be tied socially, economically, and physically to the company than were the Niigato victims.
B)The Japanese culture frowns on lawsuits.
C)The chemical company controlled more of the village resources in Minamata than in Niigato.
D)People in Niigato aren't as nice as people in Minamata.
E)There were fewer victims in Minamata than in Niigato.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The conflict paradigm suggests that social conflict, often stemming from inequalities in power and resource distribution, drives social change. In this case, the explanation that the chemical company controlled more of the village resources in Minamata than in Niigato aligns with the conflict paradigm, suggesting that the power dynamics and dependency on the company in Minamata might have deterred the villagers from suing.

The Minamata Disease, a Disease Which Produced Severe Nervous Disorders