Question 1

How has union membership changed in recent years?

Accepted Answer

Union membership has been in decline in recent years, especially in the private sector. In 1983, the union membership rate was 20.1%, but by 2020 it had fallen to 10.8%.

Question 2

During the 1912 textile mill strikes in Lawrence, Massachusetts, the striking workers' slogan was "bread and roses." What did the slogan mean?

Accepted Answer

The slogan "bread and roses" emphasized the workers' demand for not just enough wages to afford the basic necessities of life, but also for decent working conditions, improved quality of life, and an overall recognition of their humanity beyond just the economic aspect.

Question 3

Corporations whose decision-making, production, and distribution operations are spread all over the world are characteristic of:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Corporations whose decision-making, production, and distribution operations...

Question 4

In 2000 Ken Loach made a film called Bread and Roses. The film is set in Los Angeles and is related in many ways to the discussion in Chapter 11. Given what you know from Chapter 11, what is the film about?

Accepted Answer

The film Bread and Roses, directed by Ken Loach, is about the struggle of immigrant janitors in Los Angeles to unionize and fight for better working conditions. This topic is related to the discussion in Chapter 11, which explores issues of labor and workers' rights in a globalized economy.

Question 5

When Japanese cars that are made entirely in Japan are imported to the United States to be sold to Americans and American jeans made in the United States are exported to Japan to be sold to Japanese, it is an example of:

Accepted Answer

The answer of When Japanese cars that are made entirely...

Question 6

Firms that purposely transcend national borders so that their products can be manufactured at sites all over the world are called:

Accepted Answer

Transnational corporations purposely transcend national borders to manufacture products at various sites around the world. Sweatshops, runaway shops, open shops, and gray markets do not necessarily involve multinational operations in the same way as transnational corporations.

Question 7

What effect did the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 have on unions?

Accepted Answer

The Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 instituted limits on secondary strikes and boycotts, meaning that unions could no longer engage in these tactics to put pressure on employers. This weakened the power of unions in negotiations and disputes. The act also required union leaders to swear they were not communists, further damaging union power and reputation.

Question 8

Who led campaigns to end child labor and increase workplace safety?

Accepted Answer

Unions led the campaigns to end child labor and increase workplace safety through the collective bargaining process and advocating for labor laws at both the state and federal level. The National Child Labor Committee, founded in 1904, was also heavily influenced by labor unions and led the effort to end child labor in the United States.

Question 9

The fact that almost all of the small electronics used in the United States are made in Asia is an illustration of:

Accepted Answer

The fact that almost all small electronics are made in Asia is a clear indication of globalization, which has led to the growth of international trade and the interdependence of economies around the world. As a result of globalization, companies source products and services from different parts of the world to reduce costs and increase profits. Asia, with its low labor costs and advanced manufacturing capabilities, has become a hub for electronics production and has attracted many multinational companies.

Question 10

What is it called when nations compete to attract transnational corporations by undercutting their citizens' wages or offering tax incentives?

Accepted Answer

The term "race to the bottom" refers to the competition among nations to attract transnational corporations by lowering their citizens' wages, minimum labor standards or offering tax incentives.

Question 11

Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri wrote Empire to express their concern that the power of nation-states is being replaced by an international "empire" of exploitative capitalism. Given what you know about changes in the economy, what do you think they are concerned about?

Accepted Answer

The authors are concerned about globalization, which they see as leading to the formation of a new kind of global power structure that is driven by capitalist interests and exploits labor and resources around the world. They argue that traditional nation-states are losing power and relevance as this new global order takes shape.

Question 12

Which area of the economy has seen increases in union membership since the early 1970s?

Accepted Answer

The public sector has seen increases in union membership since the early 1970s, as compared to a decline in union membership in the private sector.

Question 13

What economic change has made it more difficult for workers to strike effectively?

Accepted Answer

The ease with which manufacturing firms can move operations to another country has made it more difficult for workers to strike effectively. Firms can threaten to move production to a different country if workers go on strike, making it less likely that workers will take that risk. This has led to a decrease in the power of labor unions and a decline in the frequency of strikes.

Question 14

According to critics of globalization, what disadvantages result from increased international trade?

Accepted Answer

Critics argue that globalization allows multinational corporations to dominate and influence government policies, leading to a loss of national sovereignty and democracy.

Answer: E
 Critics argue that increased international trade can lead to competition between countries to lower labor costs, resulting in exploitation of workers and lower wages for factory workers.

Question 15

You want to discover who made the comforter on your bed. You notice that one tag says, "Made in the USA from imported materials" and another tag says, "Shell made in China." Eventually, you discover that the cotton for your comforter was grown in Egypt, the thread made in Thailand, the shell woven in China, and the down harvested in South America, before the comforter was assembled in the United States. What is this an example of?

Accepted Answer

This is an example of deep integration, which refers to the close interconnection of global trade and production networks. It involves the fragmentation of production across different countries and the coordination of different stages of the production process across borders. In this case, the comforter was made using inputs from various countries, and each stage of production was coordinated across different geographical locations. The use of imported materials highlights the interconnectedness of global supply chains.

Question 16

When manufacturing firms move to other countries to take advantage of cheap labor and lax environmental laws, it is called:

Accepted Answer

Moving manufacturing firms to other countries to take advantage of cheap labor and lax environmental laws is commonly known as "opening runaway shops." This practice is often criticized for contributing to job losses in the firm's home country and for exploiting workers in the country where the shop is located.

Question 17

An association of workers who organize to improve their economic status and working conditions is called:

Accepted Answer

A union is a common term used for an association of workers who join together to improve their economic status and working conditions by negotiating with employers for better wages, benefits, and safer working conditions.

Question 18

When liquor stores in the United States import wine made entirely from French grapes and bottled in France or beer brewed from grain and hops grown in Holland, it is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Shallow integration refers to the process of importing goods and services from other countries without significant involvement in the production process. This is the case with wine made entirely from French grapes and beer brewed from grain and hops grown in Holland, which are both products of shallow integration as they involve only the importing of finished goods.

Question 19

The cultural and economic changes that result from dramatic increases in international trade and exchange are called:

Accepted Answer

The term used to describe the cultural and economic changes resulting from dramatic increases in international trade and exchange is globalization. The other options (commodity stops, runaway shops, shallow integration, and information work) do not accurately describe this phenomenon.

Question 20

Which of the following groups of workers would be LEAST likely to strike successfully?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following groups of workers...

Quiz 11: The Economy, Work, and Working