50 Questions
What is one of the consequences of extreme inequality mentioned in the text?
Spread of diseases from poor communities to wealthier nations
How does the text suggest religious institutions have mainly responded to the issue of inequality?
By providing charity as a way to solve the problem
Why does the text mention that inequality is 'everyone’s problem now'?
Because inequality has consequences that affect both rich and poor nations
According to Jared Diamond's theory, what was a significant factor in the wealth of certain regions and nations?
The presence of native vegetation containing high protein grains
What critique is presented against the 'Culture of Poverty' theory?
It unfairly blames the victims of poverty by criticizing their cultures
What does the historical analysis related to colonialism and neocolonialism focus on?
The military conquest and resource theft by rich nations
In which type of stratification system is social mobility severely restricted for the benefit of the wealthy castes?
Caste system
What is the concept created in caste systems to keep the upper castes apart from the lower castes?
Ritual pollution
Which nations have made dozens of secret military incursions into Central and South America, Africa, and tiny Caribbean nations to disrupt socialist governments?
USA, England, and some European nations
What does the author suggest about the global human population?
It has doubled in the last quarter century primarily due to poor nations and poor people in rich nations.
How does the author describe the income distribution depicted in Figure 8.1?
The richest quintile (Q5) captures nearly all of the world’s income, leaving very little for the middle and poorest quintiles.
What does the author imply about the causes of extreme inequality?
It is an embarrassment to wealthier nations and people who try to blame the poor for their own poverty throughout history.
What is the primary reason for enforcing endogamy in the caste system?
To maintain the purity and boundaries of the castes
How are class systems different from caste systems?
Class systems allow more flexible marriage between different economic classes
What is the main difference between a classless society and a capitalist society?
Classless societies have no concept of income or material assets, while capitalist societies have distinct economic classes
What was the slogan used to justify the violent takeover of lands inhabited by American Indians?
Manifest Destiny
Which European nation seized the gigantic Congo region in Africa, which was over 70 times its own size?
Belgium
What did Karl Marx define as communism?
A state in which all material wealth is shared
Which countries routinely perform better than the United States on basic social indicators?
Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and Japan
What did the study spanning the entire 20th century conclude about great wealth?
Great wealth is more likely to be inherited than earned through hard work
What did Billionaire Bill Gates use to create wealth, as mentioned in the text?
Microsoft software, which became a predatory monopoly
What measures does Cuba take to ensure equality for its children?
Free healthcare, secondary education, and free university education with good grades
What does the text suggest about the wealth distribution in the United States?
The top 1% of U.S. citizens own more than 50% of total U.S. assets, leaving the rest of the citizens with less than one-fifth of the nation’s wealth.
What is a major reason for the unequal wealth distribution in the United States?
The excessive amount of student loan debt and high tuition fees imposed on middle class and poor students in the United States.
How do the wealthy modern democracies differ from the United States in terms of wealth distribution and social policies?
They have created social safety nets to provide national health insurance, heavily subsidized higher education, and nearly universal housing, with more aggressive taxation of their upper classes compared to the USA.
What did Karl Marx refer to as the 'mental means of production'?
The process by which institutions work as a team to construct the same image of reality
What does false consciousness, as explained by Karl Marx, entail?
An individual's passive acceptance of myths and misinformations perpetuated by institutions
How does the text illustrate the impact of economic inequality on various societal groups?
Poor whites rejecting candidates who plan to reduce public services they rely on
What does the comparison of socialist Cuba with its neighbors and the USA in Table 8.1 demonstrate?
Cuba has lower rates of infant mortality and homicide compared to the USA and its neighboring capitalist nations.
How does wealth distribution in Cuba differ from that in the USA?
Cuba's modest wealth is distributed evenly through government services, unlike in the USA where wealth is not distributed evenly.
What does the author suggest about the relationship between socialism, capitalism, and human happiness?
Both socialism and capitalism are equally vulnerable to natural disasters and poor political leadership.
What did Marx believe would create communism?
The peasants revolting and taking over the means of production
What did the Bolivian teachers gain popular support for among the people?
Blocking traffic with their bodies in a peaceful protest
What does the text suggest about revolutions according to D.E.H. Russell's typology?
They are relatively rare and may or may not lead to a successful shift in power
What did Qa’boos achieve through his reforms in Oman?
Increased equality for women, basic housing, healthcare, and universal education
What are some factors considered in calculating 'happiness' in the World Happiness Report?
Life expectancy, infant mortality rates, generosity, and life satisfaction among citizens
How does the text suggest the wealthy segment of society can influence the control of cultural institutions?
By owning the commercial press and media outlets which downplay news that threatens their interests
What is the historical significance of Ronald Reagan's presidency in the context of workers' rights and wealth distribution?
He began dismantling unions and reducing taxation of wealthy citizens, leading to a widening gap between rich and poor.
What does Pope Francis of the Catholic Church emphasize in his criticism of free market corporate capitalism?
The negative impact of global economic policies on workers and the Earth, calling it intolerable.
How did the worker shortage in 2021 impact the trend of falling real wages?
It caused a reversal of decades of falling real wages due to the sudden scarcity of workers.
What was the primary reason for the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba?
To stop Cuba's financial success
What impact did the string of hurricanes since 2015 have on Cuba?
Destroyed much of Cuba’s food supply, housing, and infrastructure
What did President Trump do to tighten restrictions on Cuba during the Covid-19 pandemic?
Blocked Cuba's access to U.S. medicines
What does the GINI Index measure?
Wealth inequality in nations
Where do the wealthiest 1% of global citizens hold the majority of planetary wealth?
In stock and bond holdings in the USA
What do the color-coded parts in the Credit Suisse figure represent?
Global population divisions
What does the line graph depicting unemployment levels in relation to education levels suggest?
Unemployment rates are highest among the least educated
What is the dominant form of wealth mentioned in the text?
Stock and bond holdings in the USA
What is the purpose of stashing money in foreign banks and using digital currencies like bitcoin, as mentioned in the text?
To evade taxation or confiscation of illegally obtained funds
What does the text imply about the wealth disparity between the richest 1% and the poorest 55% of Earth’s people?
The richest 1% holds around 46% of global wealth
Explore the concept of income and asset inequality, and its impact on modern democracies. Learn about the disparities in wealth distribution and its consequences in the context of the USA. Delve into the example of Bill Gates' assets and their immense scale.
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