Chapter 6 Power and Politics True or False 1. It is useful to think about power in terms of dimensions. Answer: True 2. One can never attain power by breaking the rules. Answer: False 3. Sociologists view the use of force as a form of failed power. Answer: True 4. The critics of pluralism state that it is too narrow a view of power because it is applicable only when conflict is obvious. Answer: True 5. The two-dimensional view of power focuses on the power to prevent topics from becoming the subject of open debate. Answer: True 6. One purpose of agenda setting is to avert the challenge of issues that threaten the interests of the powerful. Answer: True 7. Much of the focus of the media today includes reporting on all facets of American life. Answer: False 8. The prestige accorded to individuals who have important social and economic roles is referred to as class. Answer: False 9. The concept of the "disciplinary society" was introduced by Adam Smith. Answer: False 10. Sociologists use the term the state to refer to the three branches of government—the legislative, the executive, and the judicial—and the bureaucracies that support them. Answer: True 11. Adam Smith referred to socialism as an economic system governed by an "invisible hand." Answer: False 12. In order for markets to operate, the state has to provide and enforce rules of regulation. Answer: True 13. Social Security, unemployment insurance, welfare for poor families, and many other such programs are collectively referred to as the welfare state. Answer: True 14. The business confidence theory holds that states adopt policies that ensure big businesses have the confidence and security they need to invest. Answer: True 15. The New Deal programs were adopted under the administration of Theodore Roosevelt. Answer: False 16. In the United States, the top 1 percent of all households receives 10 percent of the nation's income. Answer: False 17. The progressive income tax system ensures that all Americans pay a proportionate share of their income in taxes. Answer: False 18. The rich can take advantage of tax breaks, commonly known as loopholes, which allow them to shelter their earnings from taxes. Answer: True 19. When he revealed his tax return during the 2012 election campaign for the president, Mitt Romney reported paying 30 percent of his income in federal taxes. Answer: False 20. The average compensation of chief executive officers (CEOs) of Fortune 500 companies in 2010 was 50 times more than the average salary of workers employed at those firms. Answer: False 21. Rates of poverty in the United States are higher than in any other comparably rich democracy. Answer: True 22. Systems of proportional representation allow minority parties to gain representation in national legislatures based on the share of the vote they win. Answer: True 23. Political action committees (PACs) are organized by businesses, unions, professional associations, and ideological groups to collect political donations for candidates, causes, and campaigns. Answer: True 24. Most Americans are convinced that government-based programs are the best way to support the poor. Answer: False 25. People's confidence in the government has declined significantly over the past 35 years. Answer: True Multiple Choice 1. Regarding the takeover of Columbia University's President Grayson Kirk's office during the protests in 1968, sociologist Erving Goffman asked the question, __________. A. "How can human beings do a thing like this?" B. "How can people behave so horribly?" C. "Why does this not happen more often?" D. "Why didn't the police prevent this?" Answer: C 2. The function of positive power is to __________. A. achieve shared goals B. serve others' interests C. exercise control over dissenters D. maintain the status quo Answer: B 3. In the _________ dimensional view of power, we see power at work when one party prevails in a conflict. A. one- B. two- C. three- D. four- Answer: A 4. The one-dimensional view of power is discernible in the relationships between _________. A. two or more individuals in conflict B. two or more groups in conflict C. two or more countries in conflict D. two or more individuals, groups, or countries in conflict Answer: D 5. Exercising power by breaking the rules of the game _____________. A. doesn't always work, since threats and bribes, for example, can fail B. always works if powerful groups have enough resources C. almost never works, since following the rules of the game is essential D. only works if the power elite is in control of the game Answer: A 6. How do sociologists view the use of force in sustaining power? A. The use of force is effective only over long periods of time. B. The use of force is failed power. C. The use of force is necessary to "win the game." D. The use of force is a necessary consequence of uncertainty. Answer: B 7. The small group of people that dominate the upper levels of U.S. institutions and that shape the policies of the U.S. government was termed the __________ by C. Wright Mills. A. ruling class B. Super PAC C. power elite D. bourgeoisie Answer: C 8. Robert Dahl, who studied the city politics of New Haven in the 1950s, concluded that power in New Haven was distributed __________. A. two-dimensionally B. pluralistically C. equally D. minimally Answer: B 9. Pluralism is a theory of how __________ operate. A. dictatorships B. fascist states C. socialist nations D. democracies Answer: D 10. The primary criticism of the one-dimensional view of power is that it _________. A. ignores why some issues are never brought up for public debate B. ignores win-win outcomes C. emphasizes win-win outcomes D. emphasizes agenda setting Answer: A 11. In the _________ dimensional view of power, we see power at work when power holders prevent subordinates from raising issues that challenge power holders' power. A. one- B. two- C. three- D. four- Answer: B 12. Presidents engage in __________ by focusing on topics, such as health care, that they believe are most important. A. civil inattention B. agenda setting C. class preferences D. framing Answer: B 13. Sociologists define status as __________. A. the prestige accorded to individuals and to important social or economic roles B. the views of individuals who have important social or economic roles C. a classification system that dominates the upper levels of society D. the right to lay claim to special rewards Answer: A 14. When your boss comes into the office, you try to look as busy as possible. Which dimensional view of power is operating in this scenario? A. the one-dimensional view of power B. the two-dimensional view of power C. the three-dimensional view of power D. the fourth-dimensional view of power Answer: C 15. Which of the following statements is indicative of the three-dimensional view of power? A. Conflict is not necessary for power to exist. B. Coercion is necessary to maintain the status quo. C. Conflict is necessary for power to exist. D. Power manifests itself as behavior. Answer: A 16. Which of these statements represents the powerlessness of B in relation to A, according to the one dimensional view of power? A. B comes to believe in A's ideas even when it is not in B's interest to do so. B. B fails to get its challenge to A taken seriously, or B is so frustrated by lack of power that B fails to issue a challenge to A. C. B has few resources to win open conflicts. D. B is so frustrated by lack of power that B fails to issue a challenge to A. Answer: C 17. Which of these statements represents the powerlessness of B in relation to A, according to the two dimensional view of power? A. B comes to believe in A's ideas even when it is not in B's interest to do so. B. B fails to get its challenge to A taken seriously C. B has few resources to win open conflicts. D. B comes to believe that it is not in B's interest to win open conflicts. Answer: B 18. Which of these statements represents the powerlessness of B in relation to A, according to the three dimensional view of power? A. B comes to believe in A's ideas even when it is not in B's interest to do so. B. B fails to get its challenge to A taken seriously C. B is so frustrated by lack of power that B fails to issue a challenge to A. D. B comes to believe that it is not in B's interest to win open conflicts. Answer: A 19. Philosopher Michel Foucault's radical ideas about power emphasized that power operates ________. A. through individuals rather than against them B. against individuals rather than through them C. by way of groups that dominate subordinate groups D. by way of individuals that dominate subordinate individuals Answer: A 20. What did French philosopher Michel Foucault mean by suggesting that we all live in a "disciplinary society"? A. We agree that discipline is necessary to maintain the status quo. B. We have the right to lay claim to special rewards only if we display the proper discipline. C. We are all subjected to a disciplining power that we cannot see but is all around us. D. We have disagreements about the proper role of discipline in society. Answer: C 21. Which of the following statements would French philosopher Michel Foucault most likely agree with? A. Power operates against individuals rather than through them. B. Theories of power are useful for understanding how minds, not bodies, are disciplined. C. The "disciplinary society" is visible all around us. D. Power can be at its most effective when least observable. Answer: D 22. The complete array of major political institutions of any society is known as __________. A. the levels of government B. a bureaucracy C. critical mass D. the state Answer: D 23. The courts and legal institutions of the state do all of the following EXCEPT __________. A. administer regulations of the state B. interpret the laws of the state C. enforce the laws and policies of the state D. judge the constitutionality of the laws and policies of the state Answer: A 24. __________ wrote The Wealth of Nations. A. Karl Marx B. Michel Foucault C. Adam Smith D. C. Wright Mills Answer: C 25. Which of the following is a plausible provision of an economic regulatory policy? A. Companies shall be protected against claims of false advertising. B. Companies shall maintain minimum standards of safety in their workplaces. C. Companies shall not compensate third parties for accidental harm. D. Stock traders shall have rights to profit from insider knowledge, provided that the profits are not fully realized at the time the trades are made. Answer: B 26. Why is the image of the "invisible hand" in Adam Smith's analysis of capitalism said to be misleading? A. For markets to function properly, rules must be enforced by the state when violated. B. For markets to function properly, entrepreneurs must be admitted by lottery drawing. C. For markets to function properly, competition must be enforced by contractual exchanges. D. For markets to function properly, contractual exchanges must be enforced by historical precedents. Answer: A 27. In the 1960s, consumer advocate __________ was able to expose the dangers of one GM car, the Corvair. A. Ralph Nader B. Adam Smith C. Elizabeth Warren D. Gary Smith Answer: A 28. The product-safety case of the Chevrolet Corvair illustrates the capacity of businesses to resist regulations that may affect __________. A. their profit margins B. their promotional strategies C. their international channels of distribution D. their long-term debt obligations Answer: A 29. Tax and transfer policies govern the __________. A. distribution of income, wealth, and power B. bargaining power of unions C. public service contracts of the government D. regulatory, but not the legal, environment Answer: A 30. Social security, health and unemployment insurance, and welfare for poor families comprise the __________. A. bureaucratic state B. pluralistic state C. welfare state D. disciplinary state Answer: C 31. Big business needs security to make the kinds of investments that create jobs and produce economic growth, according to __________. A. the New Deal B. the business confidence theory C. tax and transfer policies D. pluralism Answer: B 32. Social Security and other New Deal programs were __________. A. opposed by most wealthy Americans B. opposed by many business interests C. opposed by most wealthy Americans and many business interests D. opposed by most wealthy Americans and many middle-income Americans Answer: C 33. The New Deal programs were adopted under the administration of __________. A. Franklin D. Roosevelt B. John F. Kennedy C. Lyndon B. Johnson D. Theodore Roosevelt Answer: A 34. Medicare is health insurance for __________. A. everyone over 65 B. everyone over 65 under the poverty line C. everyone under the poverty line D. everyone without employer-funded health insurance Answer: A 35. In a democracy, __________. A. all citizens are defined by national income B. all citizens are socially, but not economically, mobile C. all citizens have equal rights to participate in political life D. all citizens exert indirect, but not direct, control over their leaders Answer: C 36. In 2007, the top 1 percent of U.S. households received __________ percent of all income. A. 12 B. 24 C. 36 D. 48 Answer: B 37. In 2007, the top 10 percent of U.S. households received approximately __________ of all income. A. 10 B. 25 C. 50 D. 70 Answer: C 38. The top 1 percent of families in the United States, in terms of share of national income, is _________. A. as rich as the wealthy in similar high-income countries around the world B. far more rich than the wealthy in similar high-income countries around the world C. far less rich than the wealthy in similar high-income countries around the world D. as rich as the wealthy in similar high-income European countries, but far more rich than similar high income Asian countries Answer: B 39. __________ is(are) an obvious and plausible explanation as to why income and wealth in the United States have become so concentrated at the top. A. Accounting loopholes B. The tax system C. Capital gains D. Entrepreneurial risk taking Answer: B 40. Which of the following changes in the U.S. tax code has been enacted in recent decades, disproportionately benefiting the wealthy? A. elimination of the capital gains tax B. reduction in the capital gains tax rate C. equalization of the capital gains tax rate and the income tax rate D. elimination of off-shore tax shelters Answer: B 41. Billionaire __________ famously highlighted the extent of tax loopholes for the wealthiest Americans when he reported paying less in federal taxes on his income, in terms of percentage, than his secretary. A. Bill Gates B. Warren Buffet C. Ted Turner D. Mitt Romney Answer: B 42. During the 2012 presidential election campaign, Mitt Romney revealed that he paid less than __________ percent of his income in federal taxes. A. 15 B. 22 C. 27 D. 32 Answer: A 43. Since the end of World War II, the trend in the corporate tax rate has been __________. A. downward B. upward C. flat D. erratic Answer: A 44. Which president attempted to close some of the loopholes that GE was using to avoid corporate income taxes? A. Jimmy Carter B. Bill Clinton C. George H. W. Bush D. Ronald Reagan Answer: D 45. Which company has so successfully used the tax system to avoid paying taxes that it paid no corporate income tax in 2010 on reported profits of $14 billion? A. Apple B. Berkshire Hathaway C. General Electric (GE) D. Verizon Answer: C 46. Major corporations that earn tax credits can use them __________. A. to pay off any future tax obligations B. as gifts for deserving public institutions C. as cash reimbursements to employees D. as cash advances on CEO salaries Answer: A 47. In the 1970s, the average compensation of chief executive officers (CEOs) at Fortune 500 companies was __________ times more than the average salary of workers employed at those firms. A. 15 B. 35 C. 243 D. 350 Answer: B 48. Today, the average compensation of chief executive officers (CEOs) at Fortune 500 companies is __________ times more than the average salary of workers employed at those firms. A. 15 B. 35 C. 243 D. 350 Answer: C 49. Poverty, crime, drug abuse, and racism are examples of __________. A. the welfare state B. social problems C. deviance D. public policies Answer: B 50. Capitalist economies have __________ produced enough decent-paying jobs for everyone who needs one. A. never B. rarely C. sometimes D. never Answer: D 51. Rates of poverty in the United States are __________ the rates of poverty in a comparison group of similar high-income nations after government antipoverty programs are taken into account. A. lower than B. higher than C. equal to D. nearly equal to Answer: B 52. In cross-country comparisons, the county that does the least to reduce poverty is __________. A. the United States B. the United Kingdom C. Canada D. Australia Answer: A 53. Social welfare programs tend to be most generous in countries with all of the following characteristics EXCEPT __________. A. strong unions B. socialist or social democratic parties C. strong central governments D. decentralized types of governments where power is divided between national, regional, and local governments Answer: D 54. African Americans did not have full legal rights to vote in all Southern states until __________. A. 1865 B. 1885 C. 1955 D. 1965 Answer: D 55. Full educational equality between the genders in the United States was not guaranteed until __________. A. 1965 B. 1972 C. 1976 D. 1980 Answer: B 56. Why do third parties have such a difficult time establishing themselves in the United States? A. our distrust of European models B. our proportional system of representation C. our "first-past-the-post" electoral system D. our adherence to legislative precedents Answer: C 57. __________ is the system of elections in which seats in a legislature are divided up based on the percentage of the vote received. A. direct representation B. proportional representation C. electoral representation D. partial representation Answer: B 58. In 2008, what percentage of Americans voted in the presidential election? A. 15 percent B. 28 percent C. 57 percent D. 68 percent Answer: C 59. In 2008, what percentage of Americans made a campaign contribution to the presidential election? A. 13 percent B. 25 percent C. 57 percent D. 82 percent Answer: A 60. A political action committee, or PAC, is a term used in U.S. politics to describe an organization set up to __________. A. collect political donations B. eliminate voter fraud C. nominate candidates for elective office D. supervise local boards of election Answer: A 61. Emily's List is an organization that works to __________. A. transport low- income voters to the polls B. eliminate felon disenfranchisement C. elect prochoice Democratic women D. overturn Roe v. Wade Answer: C 62. Information regarding public opinion is usually obtained through __________. A. polls and surveys B. experiments C. longitudinal research D. ethnographic research Answer: A 63. Which of the following statements exemplifies the "conservative egalitarian" label, which sociologists apply to American voters who do not consistently connect their beliefs about equality to support for government programs that might make our society more egalitarian? A. Conservative egalitarian Americans want their opinions heard but do not want their privacy violated. B. Conservative egalitarian Americans want to uphold democratic values but do not want to vote. C. Conservative egalitarian Americans want to help the poor but do not want to pay higher taxes. D. Conservative egalitarian Americans want the same quality schools and health care as the rich. Answer: C 64. In recent polls, less than _________ percent of Americans have confidence in the government to do the right thing all or most of the time. A. 5 B. 10 C. 15 D. 20 Answer: D 65. The estate tax can be described as __________. A. the tax that family members must pay when they bury a loved one B. the tax that surviving spouses pay when their partners die C. the tax that heirs, other than spouses, pay when left money from an estate D. money paid when one commissions an attorney to set up an estate Answer: C Scenario Multiple Choice 1. Phyllis, a teacher, constantly disagrees with the way her department chair runs the math department. The two of them have had heated arguments about her schedule and her classroom assignments. This scenario illustrates which dimensional view of power? A. one-dimensional B. two-dimensional C. three-dimensional D. four-dimensional Answer: A 2. Eloise is a network executive at XYZ News Media. She has been instructed to prevent XYZ journalists from covering a breaking scandal involving XYZ's chief financial officer. She has the staff prepare filler stories instead. XYZ, with Eloise's complicity, is engaging in __________. A. civil inattention B. agenda setting C. class preferences D. framing Answer: B 3. A record number of layoffs at Andrew's place of employment has everyone on pins and needles. The employees want to make sure their bosses are pleased with their performances, so many of them have agreed to work overtime on weekends. Which dimension of power is operating in this scenario? A. one-dimensional B. two-dimensional C. three-dimensional D. four-dimensional Answer: C 4. In London, closed-circuit cameras are located in all public spaces. Many protest the violation of privacy. Others see surveillance as an absolute necessity in preventing crime. What kind of society does London, in this scenario, exemplify? A. disciplinary society B. bureaucratic society C. pluralistic society D. welfare society Answer: A 5. In the 1970s, residents who lived in a neighbourhood called Love Canal in New York discovered that their homes had been built on a dump for toxic wastes. There were high rates of birth defects, miscarriages, and other health complications in Love Canal. After an investigation was conducted, residents were compensated for their pain and suffering. This scenario represents the importance of __________. A. bureaucracy B. pluralism C. regulatory policies D. critical mass Answer: C 6. Houston, Texas has been described as a pro-business city, due in part to the fact that Texas is a righto-work state. Texas businesses may eliminate jobs at will, without just cause, and the state has other statutes on its books that the business community readily endorses. This scenario illustrates __________ in action. A. the New Deal B. the business confidence theory C. tax and transfer policies D. pluralism Answer: B 7. A wealthy executive wants to shelter her income from taxes. Which action should she take? A. purchase real estate B. misrepresent her income on her tax return C. divert assets to the Cayman Islands D. adhere to the progressive income tax system Answer: C 8. David Jones is a Green Party candidate for city council, which elects one candidate from each of five city districts. He garnered 25 percent of the vote in his district, but took no seat on the city's governing council. Why, do you theorize, this is so? A. City council seats are subject to proportional representation. B. City council seats are not subject to proportional representation. C. The Green Party raised insufficient funds for the campaign. D. Jones lacked sufficient citywide exposure. Answer: B 9. Jamie is a political science student. For his semester project, he must design a study about people's beliefs about controversial topics. What strategy would he most likely utilize? A. experiments B. ethnographic research C. opinion surveys D. longitudinal studies Answer: C 10. It is election day. On the ballot is a call to repeal the estate tax for all Americans, including the wealthiest members of the United States. As a political scientist studying voting behavior, Dana is puzzled why middle- and low-income voters would vote to repeal the tax. What might Dana conclude if the repeal passes? A. Americans oppose taxation reflexively. B. Americans are wishful thinkers and assume that they will have an estate to pass on to their heirs. C. Americans admire and respect wealth too much to tax it. D. Americans oppose tax schemes that proportionately disadvantage the wealthy, because the wealthy create jobs. Answer: B Short Answer 1. After Columbia University's President Grayson Kirk's office was occupied for days, he commented, "My God, how can human beings do a thing like this?" to which Erving Goffman responded, "How is it that human beings do this sort of thing so rarely?" What does Goffman's statement mean? Answer: Goffman, like many sociologists, wonders why it is that people accept injustice and learn to live with it. Sociologists are also curious as to why people do not do more in terms of collective action to seize power in unjust situations. 2. What is meant by collective power? Answer: Collective power can be described as collaboration to achieve a shared goal. When people cooperate to promote a cause or pursue a campaign, as when college students protest against budget cuts in higher education, they are exercising collective power. 3. What is the focus of the one-dimensional view of power? Answer: The one-dimensional view of power focuses on outcomes between individuals or groups in conflict. It is at work when there is conflict between two or more individuals or groups—a bully in the schoolyard versus a victim, a landlord versus a tenant, an employer versus a union, a group of citizens versus a dictatorship—and one prevails. 4. The pluralism theory is one of the most influential and widely debated theories in the study of American politics. Explain what is meant by this theory and briefly discuss the criticisms of it. Answer: This theory argues that as long as competing groups have sufficient power to participate, the final outcome of any policy or political controversy will reflect the preferences of the majority of citizens. Critics state that it provides too narrow a view of power because it is applicable only when there is observable conflict. 5. Discuss the components of the two-dimensional view of power and identify what this view addresses that the one-dimensional view of power neglects. Answer: The two-dimensional view of power recognizes that power holders have an agenda setting power that prevents a subordinate group from raising issues that would challenge the other's power. As the one-dimensional view of power focuses only on outcomes between individuals or groups in conflict, it doesn't address the fact that certain topics are never the subject of consideration in the first place. 6. How does agenda setting meet the needs of the power elite? Answer: Agenda setting is the act of averting the challenges posed by potential issues that may threaten the interests of the rich and powerful. If the grievances of marginal groups are denied a hearing, then their power is diminished and even extinguished. 7. Discuss the components of the three-dimensional view of power. Answer: The three-dimensional view of power concerns itself with how power can sometimes be invisible, how power can be used to persuade others that their interests are the same as a power holder, and how power enables the powerful to secure the dependence, allegiance, or compliance of others in ways that work against the others' interests. 8. Discuss the various components of the state and explain why it is difficult to bring about change in national politics. Answer: Sociologists use the term the state to refer to the three branches of government—the legislative, the executive, and the judicial—and the bureaucracies that support them. In the United States, it is often difficult to bring about change in national politics because of the power of federal bureaucracies, whose many employees remain in power no matter who the president is. 9. Explain the role of capitalism as described by Adam Smith in The Wealth of Nations, and identify a limitation of his premise. Answer: Adam Smith described capitalism as an economic system governed by the "invisible hand" of the free market, in which successful entrepreneurs would be rewarded and those with bad ideas would be competed out of business. His analysis of capitalism skirted the issue of the state's role in capitalism, which is to provide a wide range of rules, legal guarantees, and punishments for transgressors, all of which are necessary to keep the system operating. 10. Discuss the theory of business confidence in both conceptual and practical terms. Answer: The business confidence theory holds that the state, regardless of the political leanings of those in office, has a powerful incentive to make sure that big businesses have the confidence and security they need to make investments so that they can create jobs and wealth. In practice, entrepreneurs and business executives who think that business conditions are favourable make investments that drive the overall health of the economy. Consequently, states are driven to adopt policies that convince business leaders to create jobs, that discourage companies from moving abroad or relocating elsewhere, and that encourage foreign investment. 11. Discuss reasons why it is better to be a rich person in the United States than any other part of the world. Answer: The revised tax system has made it possible for the wealthy to retain most of their income. Even though the United States has a progressive income tax system, the wealthy in America pay significantly less in taxes than the rich in other parts of the developed world. 12. Critique the changes to the tax codes that have benefited wealthy Americans. Answer: Investment income is taxed at a lower rate than earnings from employment. The wealthy can also shelter their earnings from taxation by creating investments schemes in countries that have no income tax. Billionaire Warren Buffet criticized the tax codes by stating that his secretary paid taxes at a higher rate than he did. 13. Why is it difficult for third-party candidates to gain traction in the United States when third-party candidates can earn seats in other countries? Answer: The United States has a system in place that means that the candidate with the most votes in a single district wins the seat outright. In other parts of the world, proportional representation ensures that all parties that win votes in an election gain seats in the legislature according to the percentage of votes they accumulate. 14. Why have Americans been described as "conservative egalitarians"? Answer: Most Americans feel that the rich should pay more taxes than the poor and that government should spend more on specific social programs to aid the poor, but they also feel that government is too big and they do not want to pay higher taxes. 15. Explain what is meant by the "death tax" and discuss how and why Americans feel the way they do about it. Answer: The estate, or inheritance, tax is a tax that is paid when someone dies and leaves an inheritance to someone other than a spouse. Before legislation in 2003 that completely eliminated it, only the top 2 percent of the wealthiest families or individuals paid this tax. Even though inheritance taxes affected a tiny part of the population and the wealthy at that, most Americans were still opposed to it. Some argue that the support to eliminate inheritance taxes is due to wishful thinking. All Americans would like to think that, one day, they will be in a position to leave an estate to their heirs. Essay 1. Compare and contrast each of the three dimensions of power. Answer: Power has three distinct dimensions in the sociological sense: (1) the power of an individual or group to get another individual or group to do something it wants, sometimes involving force; (2) the power to control the agenda of issues that are to be decided; and finally; (3) the power to persuade others that their interests are the same as a power holder. Individuals or groups can possess power. The one-dimensional view of power focuses on outcomes between individuals or groups in conflict. The one dimensional view of power is at work when there is conflict between two or more individuals or groups and one prevails. The two-dimensional view of power recognizes that power holders have an agenda setting advantage that prevents a subordinate group from raising issues that would challenge the other's power. As the one-dimensional view of power focuses only on outcomes between individuals or groups in conflict, it doesn't address the fact that certain topics are never the subject of consideration in the first place. The third dimensional view of power concerns itself with how power can sometimes be invisible. It consists of the powerful being able to secure dependence, allegiance, or compliance when they shape the preferences of others in ways that work against their interests. A sociological understanding of power compels us to examine not only the most visible ways in which power is expressed, but also its more subtle forms. Power may be revealed in open conflict, but it may also reflect the ability of a power holder to keep challenges from arising in the first place or even the capacity of a power holder to convince a subordinate group that it is in their interest to support a particular arrangement. 2. Discuss how agenda setting can impact what Americans read, view, and hear in the news. Answer: Agenda setting is the ability to decide which issues are open for discussion and debate. It is the conscious or unconscious act of averting the challenge of potential issues that threaten the interests of the dominant or powerful. The ability to control the agenda means that certain issues never get attention, whereas others dominate the media. When power is exercised through agenda control, the grievances of excluded or marginal groups can be denied a hearing. We can see the impact of agenda setting in the relative lack of attention paid by the mass media to issues surrounding the persistence of poverty, racism, and rising inequality versus the enormous amount of attention given to the health and well-being of big business, banks and Wall Street, and corporate profits. For example, every newspaper in America has a section devoted to business, covering the comings and goings of business executives and the profitability (or lack thereof) of various local and national companies, and every day the ups and downs of the stock market are widely covered. But there is no comparable coverage devoted to the daily grind of poverty, or the insecurity faced by millions of American families, or the trials and tribulations of the groups that try to represent the interests of the poor. News stories about celebrities always generate intense coverage, but are these types of news reports more important than reports on wars or poverty? 3. Charles Wilson of General Motors once stated, "What is good for General Motors is good for America." Explain what he meant by this statement by using the three-dimensional view of power. Answer: Wilson implies that all Americans benefit from policies that make GM more profitable. It is representative of the three-dimensional view of power in that it is an expression of power that is in many ways invisible. When GM is profitable, it will hire more workers and generate more business for the subcontractors who supply GM with parts, but it also tries to maximize its profits to its shareholders, a wealthy and powerful elite. In order to maximize profit, GM has a stake in keeping wages and taxes low and in minimizing interference from oversight agencies regarding safety standards, emissions standards, and the like. 4. Michel Foucault stated that we live in a disciplinary society. Explain what he meant by this and discuss the pros and cons of the disciplinary society. Answer: Michel Foucault stated that we are all subject to a disciplining power that we cannot see but is everywhere around us. Our everyday activities are monitored more than ever. Closed-circuit televisions monitor our behavior in airports and our computer activity is monitored by employers. Businesses purchase databases of detailed information that they use to target ads to consumers. Some believe all of this monitoring is absolutely necessary given the threats from terrorists and other violent actors. Others feel that we have compromised too much of our civil liberties. 5. Discuss some of the ways in which the state regulates the economy and businesses. What is the purpose of these regulating policies? Answer: Some regulatory policies are designed to prevent large businesses from forming monopolies that will drive smaller businesses away and stock market traders from using inside information to profit at others' expense. There are also laws that protect consumers against false advertising and that impose workplace and product safety standards. These regulating policies are to protect consumers and innocent third parties. They also give new businesses the opportunity to compete fairly with incumbent businesses. 6. Explain the role of the state in the distribution of power to the poor and disadvantaged. Answer: Taken as a whole, who gets what is at least partly a function of government policy. Policies can, for example, be designed to ensure that poor families receive a greater share of the economic pie than they would if the market was left completely untouched. By contrast, policies can be designed to ensure that the rich are allowed to maintain or even increase their share of wealth. These policies, known as tax and transfer policies, are especially important for the distribution of income and wealth. There are many specific examples of how states impact who gets what in any society. (1) States set and can alter the rules of the game. Policies can Favor big business, small business, farmers, or workers and unions, but not all at the same time. (2) States allocate resources through various kinds of spending programs. (3) States decide who pays for public spending programs primarily through tax policy. (4) States make life-and-death decisions. They decide when to go to war and whether the death penalty is legal. 7. Social scientists have observed that the state promotes the interests of the powerful. Explain why the state supports the goals of powerful businesses. Answer: Social scientists have proposed two broad answers as to why the state supports businesses. The business confidence model holds that the state has a powerful incentive to make sure that big businesses have the confidence and security they need to make investments so they can create jobs. The second argument focuses on the relative political power of different groups. Corporate executives, by virtue of their enormous wealth, have disproportionate access to the powerful in government relative to ordinary citizens. They travel in the same circles and donate money to candidates they Favor. The benefits of access are apparent in the government policies that reflect the interests of corporations. Taken together, these two arguments suggest that policies will absolutely Favor the powerful. There are exceptions to the rule, however. 8. The research indicates that it is presently better to be a rich person in the United States than at any other time or in any other part of the world. Explain this statement by discussing the tax code and the distribution of income and wealth. Answer: The United States has a high degree of wealth and income at the very top. The top 1 percent of households received 24 percent of the nation's income in 2007. Only in the United States do they command such a large share of national income. The revised tax system makes it possible for the wealthy to retain most of their income. Even though the United States has a progressive income tax system, the wealthy in America pay significantly less in taxes, as a percentage of their income, than the rich in other parts of the world. Investment income is taxed at a lower rate than earnings from employment. The wealthy can also shelter their earnings from taxation by creating investments schemes in countries that have no income tax. The wealthy are able to take advantage of tax loopholes that are not available to the average American. 9. Why are antipoverty programs necessary? How effective are American antipoverty programs when compared with those of other countries? Answer: The capitalist system has never produced enough jobs for everyone. Some people are always going to experience poverty because of lack of work. Employed workers, too, may fall into poverty for a number of reasons, including job loss, health problems, economic recession, and bad luck. Research indicates that no country does as little as the United States to reduce poverty. It further indicates that U.S. antipoverty programs are less effective than the antipoverty programs in place in other developed countries. 10. Discuss the impact that poverty has on children and explain why poverty is a generational problem. Answer: When children grow up in poverty, it is likely that many of them will have problems as adults that will keep them poor their entire lives. Poor children are more likely to have subpar educations, live in crime-ridden neighbourhoods with few economic opportunities, and suffer health problems associated with poor diet and housing. Some poor children may grow up to achieve great success as adults, but the odds are stacked against them. Test Bank for The Sociology Project : Introducing the Sociological Imagination Jeff Manza, Richard Arum, Lynne Haney 9780205949601, 9780205093823, 9780133792249
Download
Close
Close
