1
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Q: What are the basic conditions for life before identity is created?
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A: Language/communication, safety/stability, money, family/friends/community, sense of belonging/love, basic needs (food/water/shelter), and morals/values/motivation.
2
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Q: What are John Rawls’ primary goods in a just society?
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A: Wealth and income, rights and liberties, opportunities for advancement, and self-respect.
3
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Q: What are Rawls’ two principles of justice?
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A: 1) Equal basic liberties for all; 2) Social/economic inequalities are allowed if they are open to all under fair equality of opportunity and benefit the least-advantaged (difference principle).
4
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Q: What is social stratification?
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A: A system by which society categorizes people, ranks them in a hierarchy, distributes resources, and influences life opportunities. It is universal but variable and persists across generations.
5
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Q: What is the difference between income and wealth?
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A: Income is money earned over a period (employment, investment), while wealth is total assets owned (property, savings, investments).
6
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Q: What are the types of capital in social stratification?
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A: Survival capital (basic resources), human capital (skills, education, health), social capital (social networks and loose ties), and cultural capital (non-financial indicators of status, like credentials or knowledge).
7
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Q: What is social mobility?
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A: Movement within the social hierarchy, including horizontal mobility, structural mobility, intergenerational mobility, and intragenerational mobility.
8
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Q: What is the difference between closed and open stratification systems?
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A: Closed systems are rigid and based on ascribed status; open systems allow movement based on achieved status, creating potential status inconsistencies.
9
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Q: What is equality of opportunity vs. equality of income?
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A: Equality of opportunity is a level playing field where people compete fairly, removing barriers like race or gender. Equality of income focuses on wealth distribution, often via policies like universal base income.
10
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Q: (Gilmore Girls) Rory notices that some students get extra tutoring and prep for college because their parents can afford it. What does this illustrate?
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A: Social stratification—unequal access to resources affects life opportunities.
11
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Q: (Burn Notice) Michael observes that an intelligence officer with no personal skills inherited a high position. What concept is this an example of?
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A: Acquisition of personal capital often occurs through inheritance.
12
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Q: (Psych) Shawn notices that some jobs are reserved for people with certifications, even if others are more talented. Which concept is this?
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A: Structural barriers in social mobility—positions depend on qualifications or institutional rules.
13
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Q: (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) Dennis moves into a new role at the bar based on his charm and persuasion, not family background. What type of system does this illustrate?
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A: Open stratification system—mobility based on achieved status.
14
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Q: (How I Met Your Mother) Lily reflects on women’s limited career opportunities 50 years ago vs. today. Which concept is this?
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A: Intergenerational social mobility—changes in society allowed greater opportunities for future generations.
15
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Q: (Gilmore Girls) Lorelai wants all town kids to have equal access to her bookstore’s internship program, removing favoritism. Which principle does this represent?
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A: Equality of opportunity—level playing field regardless of background.
16
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Q: (Burn Notice) Michael sees that some wealthy families always stay at the top because of inherited wealth, while others struggle despite talent. Which principle is highlighted?
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A: Structural disadvantage—society is organized so personal capital is not the only determinant of status.
17
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Q: (Psych) Gus notices that the more people he knows, even loosely, the better his chances of getting jobs. Which type of capital does this illustrate?
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A: Social capital—the value of networks and loose ties in achieving opportunities.
18
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Q: (Gilmore Girls) Paris gets extra tutoring because her parents can afford it, while Rory doesn’t.
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A: Social stratification—unequal access to resources affects opportunities.
19
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Q: (Burn Notice) Michael sees a wealthy but unskilled officer get promoted over talented agents.
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A: Inheritance of personal capital—status can come from family resources, not ability.
20
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Q: (Psych) Shawn notices some jobs require specific certifications even if he’s more capable.
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A: Structural barriers in social mobility—institutions determine access.
21
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Q: (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) Dennis climbs the bar hierarchy through charm, not family.
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A: Open stratification system—mobility is based on achieved status.
22
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Q: (How I Met Your Mother) Lily compares women’s career opportunities from her grandmother’s generation to her own.
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A: Intergenerational social mobility—society changes allow new opportunities.
23
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Q: (Gilmore Girls) Lorelai ensures all waiters at her inn are treated equally.
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A: Equality of opportunity—everyone has a fair chance regardless of background.
24
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Q: (Burn Notice) Michael observes wealthy families maintaining top social positions over generations.
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A: Structural disadvantage—society organizes inequality so that inherited resources matter.
25
Q: (Psych) Gus notices that knowing many acquaintances helps him land a better job.
A: Social capital—networks and loose ties improve opportunities.
26
Q: (Gilmore Girls) Rory sees classmates succeed because of both grades and extracurricular prestige.
A: Cultural capital—non-financial assets like knowledge, credentials, and reputation affect status.
27
Q: (How I Met Your Mother) Marshall observes that everyone is technically allowed to compete for a job, but some start with more advantages.
A: Equality of opportunity vs. equality of income—fair chance vs. actual wealth distribution.
28
Q: What is inequality?
A: Uneven distribution of resources, wealth, income, and opportunities among individuals, social groups, or countries.
29
Q: Who is Thomas Piketty and what is his key argument?
A: French economist; capitalism naturally concentrates wealth over time unless governments intervene.
30
Q: Why does high executive pay contribute to inequality?
A: Top managers earn disproportionately more than average workers, often beyond skill or effort levels, creating a winner-takes-all effect.
31
Q: What is the R > G dynamic established by Piketty?
A: R = rate of return on capital; G = economic growth rate. When R > G, inherited wealth grows faster than overall economic output, increasing inequality.
32
Q: Why does slow long-term economic growth exacerbate inequality?
A: Wage growth from labor is slower than wealth accumulation from inherited capital, so inequality persists unless policies intervene.
33
Q: What forces can reduce inequality (convergence)?
A: Knowledge/skill diffusion (education access), overall productivity growth, and reduction of inequality between countries via industrialization and trade.
34
Q: What policy solution does Piketty propose?
A: Progressive annual tax on capital to slow inherited wealth accumulation.
35
Q: What are some of the drivers of rising inequality?
A: Precarious jobs, asset ownership, technology rewarding high-skilled workers, decline of unions, and neoliberal policies favoring elites.
36
Q: According to Robert Emerson Lucas Jr., what drives long-term prosperity?
A: Wealth creation, production, and economic growth, rather than redistribution.
37
Q: Why can focusing on redistribution alone be limiting?
A: It may improve short-term outcomes but does not generate sustained growth or raise overall living standards.
38
Q: (Suits) Harvey earns millions in bonuses and stock options, while associates earn far less despite similar hours. Which Piketty concept is illustrated?
A: High executive pay / winner-takes-all effect.
39
Q: (Community) Jeff and Britta argue that helping poor countries through trade is more sustainable than giving temporary aid. Which economist’s view does this align with?
A: Robert Emerson Lucas Jr. – production/growth > redistribution.
39
Q: (Psych) Shawn notices that many tech workers earn far more than others in similar roles because they own stock options. Which driver of inequality is this?
A: Asset ownership.
39
Q: (Burn Notice) Michael teaches local kids spy skills for free, giving them skills to improve their future economic prospects. Which force of convergence does this reflect?
A: Knowledge/skill diffusion reducing inequality.
40
Q: (The Mentalist) Lisbon studies economic growth trends and notes slow wage growth compared to inherited wealth accumulation among wealthy families. Which dynamic is this?
A: R > G dynamic.
41
Q: (Psych) Shawn observes that a CEO negotiates a massive stock bonus every year, far exceeding his base salary, while his employees get small raises. Which Piketty mechanism does this exemplify, and why does it increase inequality?
A: Self-determined remuneration – executives influence their own pay packages, which compounds wealth for the already wealthy and widens the gap between them and regular workers.
42
Q: (Gilmore Girls) Rory benefits from scholarships and free access to education, allowing her to compete with peers from wealthier families. Which Piketty convergence mechanism is this?
A: Knowledge and skill diffusion.
43
Q: (Burn Notice) Fiona observes that deregulation and tax cuts for the wealthy since the 1980s have made inequality more extreme in her city. Which driver is this?
A: Neo-liberal policies.
44
Q: (Suits) Louis wants a fair pay system but realizes that redistributing Harvey’s bonus wouldn’t grow the firm overall. Which economist’s point does this illustrate?
A: Robert Emerson Lucas Jr. – growth and production drive long-term prosperity.
44
Q: (Gilmore Girls) Lorelai notices that prep schools and extra tutoring allow some students to access top universities, while others with similar talent but no resources struggle. Which force of inequality reduction is being countered, and how?
A: Knowledge and skill diffusion – unequal access to education prevents the equalization of skills and opportunities, maintaining inequality.
45
Q: (Burn Notice) Michael studies two families: one inherits $500k from grandparents, the other earns $500k from decades of work. Over 30 years, the inherited wealth grows much faster than the earned income. Which dynamic explains this, and what does it imply about meritocracy?
A: R > G dynamic – returns on inherited capital outpace economic growth, showing that meritocracy alone cannot ensure equal opportunity.
46
Q: What are the limitations of public-domain inequality data?
A: Accuracy is uncertain; may not reflect quality of life; limited collection in poor/rural areas; tax evasion obscures wealth of the richest.
46
Q: What is the “Great Takeoff”?
A: The rapid increase in global economic growth and wealth accumulation in the second half of the 20th century, accompanied by rising inequality.
47
Q: What is the difference between national income and national wealth?
National income = total annual incomes of residents (wages, dividends, interest).
National wealth = total value of all assets owned by residents (stock from capital accumulation)
47
Q: How does inequality vary between countries/regions?
A: North Americans earn 6–10x more than Sub-Saharan Africans; Europe is most equal; MENA most unequal.
48
Q: What was the global wealth distribution in 2021?
A: Bottom 50% owns 2%, richest 50% owns 98%; top 10% has 52% of income and 76% of wealth.
49
Q: What is the “winner-takes-all” effect in global wealth?
A: Top earners capture disproportionate shares of new wealth; e.g., top 1% captured 38% of additional wealth since mid-1990s.
50
Q: Key trends in Canada (2023–2024)?
A: Top 40% hold over 64% of disposable income; top 10% share at 22.6%; income inequality at highest level since 2009.
51
Q: Global inequality vs. within-country inequality?
A: Global inequality decreasing slightly; within-country inequality rising due to concentration of wealth in top classes.
52
Q: Key findings from Emmanuel Saez tax data (US)?
A: Top 1–5% incomes have grown 2.5–4x since 1979; top 1% captured over half of income growth 1993–2015; hyper-concentration produces minimal trickle-down effects.
52
Q: What does Piketty identify as the biggest driver of divergence today?
A: Ability of middle/upper classes to invest and grow wealth, while those without savings remain at the bottom.
52
(Community) Jeff observes that Europe and North America have similar average incomes, but the distribution of income is very different. What does this show about using averages to understand inequality?
Average incomes (or standards of living inferred from averages) are unreliable indicators of inequality levels (an average income of 30k does not mean that everyone has 30k!)
52
Q: (Burn Notice) Michael observes North American incomes averaging 6–10x more than Sub-Saharan African incomes. Which measure is this?
A: Global income inequality between countries/regions.
53
Q: (Suits) Harvey’s firm continues to generate enormous profits, while most associates struggle to afford rent in NYC. Which current trend is this?
A: Winner-takes-all wealth accumulation and within-country inequality.
53
Q: Difference in views: Marx, Kuznets, Piketty?
Marx → pessimistic, concentration inevitable, poor have little freedom.
Kuznets → optimistic, inequality declines with development, cyclical.
Piketty → policy-driven, inequality can be shaped; not deterministic.
54
Q: (Psych) Shawn notes that during COVID, billionaires increased their wealth while many service workers lost jobs. Which phenomenon is illustrated?
A: The COVID wealth gap / failure of global hardship to level inequality.
55
Q: (Gilmore Girls) Rory’s wealthy friends invest early in stocks and property, compounding wealth over years, while her Stars Hollow friends with no savings fall behind. Which Piketty driver is this?
A: Middle and upper class ability to generate wealth from capital.
55
Q: (Psych) Shawn notes that in the roaring 1920s, the top 1% held over 50% of US wealth. Which phenomenon does this illustrate?
A: Historical cycles of inequality and prewar wealth concentration (Saez data).
55
Q: (The Mentalist) Lisbon examines US top 1% incomes over decades and sees a 4x increase since 1979, while lower incomes barely rise. Which concept?
A: Hyper-concentration of income / top earners capturing disproportionate gains.
56
Q: (Suits) Louis debates whether inequality is inevitable or policy-dependent. Which economist would argue policy decisions matter most?
A: Thomas Piketty.
57
Q: (Burn Notice) Fiona observes that Canada’s richest 40% now hold over 64% of disposable income. What trend does this reflect?
A: Rising within-country income inequality in modern times.
58
Q: (Community) Abed is creating an infographic showing that global net wealth is 6x global income, but the bottom 50% owns only 2%. What is the key takeaway?
A: Extreme global wealth concentration and inequality.
59
Q: What are key drivers of rising inequality?
A: Precarious jobs, asset ownership (stocks/property), technological change, education gaps, decline of unions, and neoliberal policies favoring elites.
60
Q: What policy solution does Piketty propose to reduce inequality?
A: A progressive annual tax on capital (wealth), not just income, to slow compounding of inherited wealth.
61
Q: What does Robert Lucas argue about production vs. redistribution?
A: Economic growth and production improve living standards more effectively than wealth redistribution; poor countries should focus on growth and integration into global trade.
62
Q: What is Piketty’s view on addressing inequality?
A: Inequality is shaped by political choices; the key is to regulate wealth/assets themselves rather than just wages or CEO pay.
63
Q: What are the “forces of convergence” that reduce inequality?
A: Knowledge/skill diffusion, overall productivity growth, and poor countries catching up via globalization.
64
Q: What is the “R > G” dynamic?
A: When the rate of return on capital (R) exceeds the economic growth rate (G), inherited wealth grows faster than wages, concentrating wealth.
65
Q: What is meant by “drivers of inequality can also be solutions”?
A: The same forces that create inequality (e.g., labor markets, technology, globalization) can reduce it if regulated or managed differently.
66
Q: (Suits) Harvey argues that CEOs deserve their pay, but Louis points out they often influence their own bonuses and stock options. Which inequality driver is this?
A: Self-determined remuneration / winner-takes-all executive pay.
67
Q: (Psych) Shawn notices his wealthy neighbor earns more from stock dividends in a year than Gus earns at his job. Which Piketty principle explains this?
A: R > G dynamic (capital outpaces wages).
68
Q: (Burn Notice) Michael observes that when unions weaken, wages stagnate for workers. Which driver of inequality is this?
A: Decline of unions reducing bargaining power.
69
Q: (Community) Abed compares Europe and India: education access in Europe helps reduce inequality. Which convergence force is this?
A: Knowledge and skill diffusion.
70
Q: (Gilmore Girls) Lorelai warns Rory that inequality isn’t inevitable — it depends on how governments regulate taxes and wealth. Which economist’s view is this?
A: Thomas Piketty’s argument that inequality is policy-driven.
71
Q: (The Mentalist) Jane notes that poor countries that industrialize and engage in global trade tend to catch up with richer ones. Which convergence force is this?
A: Reduction of inequality between countries through globalization.
72
Q: (Suits) Donna asks whether inequality motivates people to work harder or just destabilizes society. Which debate is this?
A: Functions vs. dysfunctions of inequality (aka Davis & Moore vs Tumin).
73
Q: (Psych) Gus reminds Shawn that technological advances often benefit highly skilled workers first, leaving others behind. Which driver of inequality is this?
A: Technology and education gaps.
74
Q: (Community) Troy argues that redistributing wealth is the best way to help poor countries, but Abed insists growth matters more. Which economist would support Abed?
A: Robert Lucas (focus on production over redistribution).
75
Q: (Gilmore Girls) Emily insists that CEOs’ salaries aren’t the problem, but rather the wealth they accumulate and pass down through generations. Which solution does this reflect?
A: Piketty’s focus on taxing wealth/assets rather than just income.
76
Q: What core question do scholars ask about inequality?
A: Is inequality functional (useful for society) or dysfunctional (harmful)?
77
Q (Scenario): In Community, Jeff argues that hierarchy keeps Greendale “efficient” while Annie insists it just locks people out of opportunities. What debate are they having?
A: The functional vs. dysfunctional role of inequality.
78
Q: What does the functionalist theory of stratification argue?
A: Inequality is functional because it allocates talent to important roles and motivates people to train and work hard.
79
Q: What are the key assumptions of the functionalist view?
- Talent is scarce and unequally distributed.
- Reward differences attract the best to important jobs.
- Higher rewards reflect social value of positions.
80
Q (Scenario): In Suits, Harvey says top lawyers deserve huge salaries because only the best can handle big cases. What theory is he using?
A: Functional theory of stratification.
81
Q: What did Melvin Tumin argue against the functionalist theory?
A: Inequality reproduces privilege, misallocates talent, and undermines both efficiency and justice.
82
Q: What are Tumin’s main points?
- Unequal access to opportunities (education, connections).
- “Skill” is socially defined by elites.
- Gatekeeping (credentialism, nepotism).
- Wasted talent when able low-income people are blocked.
83
Q (Scenario): In Gilmore Girls, Rory gets into Yale partly through family networks and privilege, while equally talented Lane struggles. What does this illustrate?
A: Tumin’s critique of inequality reproducing privilege.
84
Q: What are two incentive-based arguments in favor of inequality?
- High rewards encourage risk-taking and innovation.
- Global competition requires big incentives for risky investments.
85
Q: What is the “trickle-down” / investment argument?
A: Wealth at the top leads to investment, economic expansion, and jobs that eventually benefit others.
86
Q (Scenario): In Burn Notice, a wealthy investor funds Fiona’s risky startup only because of potential massive profit. Which argument supports this?
A: Inequality incentivizes risk-taking and investment.
87
Q: What are criticisms of trickle-down economics?
- Top incomes don’t always translate to broad growth.
- Money can be invested abroad or inflate assets.
- Immigration effects on wages are complex, not uniform.
88
Q: What do Wilkinson & Pickett argue about inequality?
A: Within-country inequality is linked to worse social/health outcomes (mental illness, low trust, higher crime, shorter life expectancy).
89
Q: What is their core psychosocial explanation?
A: Status anxiety from constant social comparison → stress, poor health, weakened cohesion, and positional consumption.
90
Q (Scenario): In The Mentalist, Lisbon notes rising crime and mistrust in a town with widening rich-poor gaps. What theory could explain this?
A: Wilkinson & Pickett’s inequality → social/health problems argument.
91
Q: What is one caveat to Wilkinson & Pickett’s claims?
A: Correlation ≠ causation; institutions and culture also shape outcomes.
92
Q: What was the classical (mid-20th century) view of inequality and growth?
A: Inequality helps growth because the rich save/invest more, financing industrialization and infrastructure.
93
Q: What is the modern critique (IMF/Lagarde view)?
- Credit constraints block poor from education/business.
- Talent wasted if only wealthy can invest in human capital.
- High inequality reduces demand, slowing growth.
94
Q (Scenario): In Psych, Gus complains he can’t afford MBA tuition despite talent, while wealthy but less capable classmates get in easily. What economic argument does this support?
A: Modern critique: inequality blocks talent and reduces growth.
95
Q: What do modern studies suggest about inequality’s effect on growth?
A: Non-linear: may help in early development but often hurts long-term sustainable growth.
96
Q: What is GDP vs. GDP per capita?
A: GDP = total value of goods/services; GDP per capita = GDP ÷ population, an average that ignores distribution.
97
Q: What is the Gini coefficient?
A: A measure of inequality from 0 (perfect equality) to 1 (perfect inequality), derived from the Lorenz curve.
98
Q: What is the difference between income and wealth?
A: Income = flow of money (wages, interest). Wealth = stock of assets minus debts; wealth is more concentrated.
98
Q (Scenario): In Suits, Louis makes a high income but has little net worth compared to Jessica, who has real estate and investments. What distinction is this?
A: Income vs. wealth.
99
Q: What are other measures besides Gini?
A: Top shares (e.g., top 1% income), percentile ratios (P90/P10), and Palma ratio.
100
Q: How does wealth accumulate across generations?
A: Through saving and investment returns, capital gains, inheritance, and access to higher-return investments, which reproduce wealth and power over time.
101
Q: Why does wealth concentration matter?
A: Because it builds political influence, shapes institutions, and reinforces structural class persistence.
102
Q: Rory notices her Yale classmates come from families with trust funds and political connections, giving them opportunities she has to fight harder for. Which concept does this illustrate?
A: Wealth concentration and intergenerational reproduction of privilege.
103
Q: What is the tax gap?
A: The difference between taxes legally owed and taxes actually paid, often due to avoidance, evasion, or errors.
104
Q: How do housing markets reinforce inequality?
A: Rising housing prices benefit homeowners while renters fall further behind, concentrating wealth.
105
Q: Harvey explains that some clients use offshore tax havens and complex financial strategies to avoid paying millions. Which mechanism of inequality preservation is this?
A: Tax avoidance and the tax gap.
106
Q: What policies can reduce wealth inequality?
A: Progressive taxation, closing loopholes, universal services, estate/wealth taxes, affordable housing, asset-broadening programs, and anti-discrimination measures.
107
Q: Juliet suggests that raising estate taxes could help level the playing field for kids from different backgrounds. Gus adds that affordable housing policies would also matter. What are they describing?
A: Policy levers to reduce wealth inequality.
108
Q: What are “functionings” in Sen’s Capabilities Approach?
A: Actual doings and beings, like being healthy, educated, or politically active.
109
Q: What are “capabilities” in Sen’s theory?
A: The real freedoms and opportunities people have to achieve valued functionings.
110
Q: Abed argues that judging society only by GDP is like judging Greendale only by how many classes people attend, not whether they actually learn or thrive. What framework does this echo?
A: Amartya Sen’s Capabilities Approach.
111
Q: What three dimensions make up the HDI?
A: Health (life expectancy), education (schooling years), and standard of living (GNI per capita).
112
Q: Fiona points out that some countries look rich in GDP terms but their people lack healthcare and education. Michael responds that this is why the UN uses a different index. Which index?
A: The Human Development Index (HDI).
113
Q: What’s the main limitation of GDP as a welfare measure?
A: It ignores distribution, unpaid work, and environmental damage.
114
Q: Why is wealth distribution usually more unequal than income distribution?
A: Because wealth accumulates across generations and is concentrated in fewer hands.
115
Q: Lisbon says California’s GDP is huge, so people must be well off. Jane points out many still struggle with poverty and high rent. What issue is he highlighting?
A: GDP is not a measure of welfare or inequality.
116
Q: What are the main channels by which inequality affects growth and society?
A: Human capital, credit constraints, demand, political economy, psychosocial harms, and innovation incentives.
117
Q: Donna says, “If poor kids can’t afford education, we’re wasting talent.” Harvey replies, “But high rewards make people take risks and innovate.” Which two mechanisms are they contrasting?
A: Human capital constraint vs. innovation incentive.
118
Q: What is stratification?
A: Structured ranking of groups in society (class, status, power).
119
Q: What is surplus value?
A: In Marx, the unpaid labor appropriated as profit.
120
Q: What is the Gini coefficient?
A: A measure of inequality from 0 (perfect equality) to 1 (perfect inequality).
121
Q: Paris brags that Harvard’s prestige shows it’s objectively “better” than other schools. Rory reminds her that such rankings reflect structured hierarchies of class and status. What concept is Rory pointing to?
A: Social stratification.
122
Q: Why must we be cautious with inequality studies?
A: Because many show correlations, not causation, and effects vary across contexts, development stages, and policy trade-offs.
123
Q: Shawn claims higher inequality always causes higher crime. Juliet counters that it depends on institutions and other factors. What criticism is she making?
A: Correlation does not equal causation; context matters.
124
Q: What was Marx’s main goal?
A: To explain how capitalist societies work, why they change, and why they produce inequality and conflict.
125
Q (Scenario): Jeff Winger insists the study group’s drama is just “interpersonal.” Abed argues the group is shaped by deeper structures — who has power, who controls resources. Whose view is more Marxist?
A: Abed’s — Marx analyzes society as shaped by economic relations.
126
Q: What is the “base” in Marxist theory?
A: The economic structure: means of production and relations of production.
127
Q: What is the “superstructure”?
A: Laws, politics, religion, culture, education, and norms that arise from and support the base.
128
Q (Scenario): Emily Gilmore says her family’s wealth guarantees that laws, traditions, and cultural values protect their property and preserve the class hierarchy. According to Marx, what concept does this demonstrate?
A: The superstructure reflecting the economic base.
129
Q: What were the two main classes in capitalism according to Marx?
A: Bourgeoisie (owners of capital) and proletariat (workers who sell labor).
130
Q: What did Marx call the French Revolution (1789)?
A: A bourgeois revolution — overthrow of feudal order by capitalists.
131
Q (Scenario): Harvey Specter tells Mike that law is built to protect “the guys with the money.” What Marxist concept is he echoing?
A: The bourgeoisie shaping the superstructure to protect private property.
132
Q: What are the main components of capitalism?
A: Means of production, markets, and labor.
133
Q (Scenario): Michael Westen notes that factories, raw materials, and workers all fit together to make profit for owners. What is he describing?
A: The capitalist mode of production.
134
Q: According to Marx, what determines the value of a commodity?
A: The socially necessary labor time required to produce it.
135
Q: What is surplus value?
A: The difference between the value created by workers and the wages they are paid — captured as profit by capitalists.
136
Q (Scenario): Gus sees Shawn make a $150 table from $30 wood. Shawn is paid $60, but Henry sells it for profit. What’s the $60 difference called?
A: Surplus value.
137
Q: What are the two parts of the working day?
A: Necessary labor time (to cover wages) and surplus labor time (unpaid work producing profit).
138
Q (Scenario): Lorelai works until lunch to cover her wage, then spends the afternoon earning profit for her boss without extra pay. What does Marx call this?
A: Surplus labour.
139
Q: Why does automation threaten capitalist profits?
A: Machines transfer value but don’t create new value; only labor creates surplus.
140
Q: What crisis tendencies did Marx predict?
A: Overproduction, underconsumption, falling profits → recessions.
141
Q (Scenario): In Burn Notice, a factory replaces workers with machines, lowering wages but also cutting demand because laid-off workers can’t buy products. What contradiction is this?
A: Automation leading to crisis.
142
Q: How could automation potentially benefit humanity?
A: By reducing necessary labor and increasing free time.
143
Q: How does automation usually function under capitalism?
A: Causes job loss, precarity, and alienation instead of leisure.
144
Q (Scenario): Troy (Community) imagines robots freeing everyone from work, but Abed reminds him workers just get laid off. Which perspective matches Marx’s critique?
A: Abed's — automation under capitalism leads to alienation.
145
Q: What are Marx’s four forms of alienation?
A: From the product, from the labor process, from other workers, and from species-being/self.
146
Q (Scenario): A call center employee in The Mentalist feels disconnected from customers, coworkers, and even themselves. What concept explains this?
A: Alienation under capitalism.
147
Q: What is ideology in Marxist theory?
A: Beliefs and norms that justify and sustain the social order.
148
Q: What is false consciousness?
A: When workers accept beliefs that go against their class interests.
149
Q (Scenario): Mike Ross insists success is about merit, but Harvey knows structures favor the wealthy. What concept explains Mike’s view?
A: False consciousness.
150
Q: What did Engels argue about the nuclear family?
A: It arose to secure inheritance and consolidate private property, not because it was “natural.”
151
Q (Scenario): Richard Gilmore values monogamy for maintaining property lines. What Marxist concept does this reflect?
A: Engels’ theory of family serving property transmission.
152
Q: What social processes does capitalism drive?
A: Urbanization, globalization/colonialism, and concentration of wealth.
153
Q (Scenario): Jane (The Mentalist) sees rapid city growth, overseas resource extraction, and billionaires growing richer. What would Marx say?
A: These are capitalism’s global effects — expansion and inequality.
154
Q: What contradictions do workers face under capitalism?
A: Workers become commodities, their work is deskilled by machines, wages tend toward subsistence, and they face instability from market cycles. These conditions can push workers toward unionization and political organization.
155
Q (Psych scenario): How would Shawn Spencer explain the proletariat becoming “a class for itself”?
A: He’d say it’s like when random townspeople at a crime scene become a coordinated mob after realizing they share the same goal — workers move from just sharing conditions (“class in itself”) to acting together politically (“class for itself”).
156
Q: What happens to the petite bourgeoisie under capitalism, according to Marx?
A: Small traders and artisans are squeezed by large-scale industry; some fall into the working class, while others become salaried professionals or managers.
157
Q (Gilmore Girls scenario): How would Luke’s diner fit into Marx’s idea of the petite bourgeoisie?
A: Luke is like the petite bourgeoisie — a small independent owner. But if a big chain coffee shop opens in Stars Hollow, he risks being squeezed out by capitalism’s scale.
158
Q: What is Marx’s core claim about class conflict?
A: Capitalism creates class antagonism; capital depends on workers, but exploitation drives workers to unite, producing potential for revolution.
159
Q (Suits scenario): How might Harvey Specter explain Marx’s idea that capital produces its own grave-diggers?
A: Harvey would say it’s like training an associate so well that they eventually challenge the firm — capitalism strengthens workers until they can organize against it.
160
Q: Is class still relevant today?
A: Many argue yes — inequalities in income, wealth, and precarity persist — but class also intersects with race, gender, education, and profession.
161
Q (Community scenario): How would a Greendale study group discussion illustrate modern class relevance?
A: Jeff might argue class isn’t relevant anymore, but Annie points to her debt, Shirley to running a small business, and Troy to job precarity — showing class still structures experience.
162
Q: Can capitalism be reformed from within?
A: Marx thought contradictions drive crises and revolution, but history shows reforms like welfare states and regulation can soften capitalism’s harsher effects.
163
Q (Burn Notice scenario): How would Michael Westen explain the reform vs revolution debate?
A: Like deciding whether to blow up a corrupt organization entirely (revolution) or to infiltrate and reform it with precise fixes (reform).
164
Q: What is welfare capitalism?
A: A capitalist system with social protections (pensions, healthcare, labor laws) — stabilizes capitalism by reducing insecurity and conflict.
165
Q (The Mentalist scenario): How would Jane see welfare capitalism?
A: He’d say it’s like giving a suspect tea and a comfy chair — calming them enough to prevent an outburst, but not removing the underlying tension.
166
Q: What is Keynesian economics/embedded liberalism?
A: The idea that states must intervene with fiscal/monetary policies, welfare, and public goods to stabilize markets, maintain employment, and prevent crises.
167
Q (Gilmore Girls scenario): How would Lorelai explain Keynesianism with her inn?
A: If guests stop coming during a recession, she’d need state help (loans, subsidies) to keep employees paid — that’s Keynesian stabilization.
168
Q: What roles do unions play?
A: They negotiate wages/conditions, give workers a collective voice, and shape norms of fairness.
169
Q: What are the spillover and threat effects of unions?
A: Spillover: union wages push non-union wages down. Threat: employers raise wages to avoid unionization.
170
Q (Psych scenario): How might Gus explain the “threat effect”?
A: Like a pharmaceutical company raising his salary just to stop him from joining Shawn full-time — the threat makes them act preemptively.
171
Q: What are some critiques of Marx?
A: He underestimated capitalism’s adaptability, living standards improved in many countries, and class is now more multi-dimensional (income, race, gender, culture).
172
Q (Community scenario): How might Abed critique Marx?
A: He’d note Marx’s “script” didn’t anticipate spin-offs: welfare states, new jobs, and cultural complexity.
173
Q: How do Marxist ideas remain relevant today?
A: They help analyze inequality, precarity (gig work), automation, globalization, and neoliberal politics.
174
Q (Burn Notice scenario): How would Fiona explain Marx’s relevance?
A: Like explosives — old designs, but still the best way to expose hidden power structures.
175
Q (Suits scenario): How would Donna explain ideology?
A: Like office culture rules that make associates think staying until 2am is natural — an idea that normalizes exploitation.
176
Q: What is the laissez-faire paradigm in classical economics?
A: The idea that markets function best without government interference, guided by the “invisible hand” of competition, with unemployment and business cycles self-correcting.
177
Q: How did Keynesian economics challenge classical laissez-faire?
A: Keynes argued that markets could stall into long-term slumps, so governments must actively manage demand via fiscal policy to stabilize the economy.
178
Q: What is embedded liberalism?
A: Post-WWII economic paradigm where states accepted responsibility for full employment, welfare, and regulating key industries to ensure shared prosperity.
179
Q: What is the normative function of unions?
A: Beyond material benefits, unions promote fairness, solidarity, and collective justice, shaping social norms and equity values.
180
Q: What is the purpose of a welfare state?
A: To provide minimum income, protect against risks like unemployment or illness, regulate markets, and deliver services like healthcare, housing, and education.
181
Q: Difference between universal and means-tested programs?
A: Universal programs are available to all (e.g., public healthcare) and politically resilient; means-tested programs target low-income individuals (e.g., welfare) efficiently but carry stigma.
182
Q: What is the Matthew Effect in welfare policy?
A: The principle that advantages accumulate over time, so wealthier people often benefit more from broad programs unless policies are targeted.
183
Q: What are the three welfare state regimes (Esping-Andersen)?
A: Liberal (market-oriented, minimal aid), Conservative/Corporatist (linked to family/occupation), Social Democratic (universal, equality-focused).
184
Q: Key principles of neoliberalism?
A: Reducing state roles, emphasizing deregulation, privatization, free trade, minimal welfare, and the belief that market freedom leads to prosperity.
185
Q: What distinguishes Québec’s welfare approach from the rest of Canada?
A: Strong union influence and social movements led to more expansive, activating social policies and resistance to neoliberal cutbacks.
186
Q: In Suits, Harvey and Louis argue over whether a struggling company should be left to fail or receive state-backed support. Harvey feels the government should not interfere, but Louis thinks it should. Which economic paradigm does Harvey represent?
A: Classical laissez-faire — letting the market self-correct without intervention.
187
Q: During a financial crash episode in Psych, Shawn jokes that “sometimes the government needs to throw money at the problem.” Which economic paradigm is this referencing?
A: Keynesian economics — using fiscal policy to stimulate demand during recessions.
188
Q: In Burn Notice, Michael helps rebuild a community center after a disaster, with government funding and local regulation. Which concept does this illustrate?
A: Embedded liberalism — state responsibility for prosperity and social welfare.
189
Q: In Community, the study group protests the cafeteria staff being underpaid, echoing a union movement. What is the normative role of unions in this scenario?
A: Promoting fairness, solidarity, and collective justice beyond just negotiating wages.
190
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Emily Gilmore advocates for universal healthcare, while some wealthy characters grumble they “pay too much.” Which welfare concept is being debated?
A: The trade-off between universal programs (inclusive, politically resilient) and the Matthew Effect (middle/upper classes often benefit more).
191
Q: In Community, the Greendale student union negotiates extra student services, while the administration cuts funding elsewhere. Which Canadian welfare dynamic does this mimic?
A: Québec’s model — strong unions and local activism sustaining social benefits against broader neoliberal retrenchment.
192
Q: In Suits, a wealthy client exploits loopholes in universal education funding for private tutors. Which welfare concept does this illustrate?
A: The Matthew Effect — universal programs can inadvertently benefit those with more resources.
193
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Rory benefits from a scholarship (means-tested) that allows her to attend an elite school. Which principle is at play?
A: Means-tested programs efficiently target resources to those most in need, reducing inequality.
194
Q: What is the precariat?
A: A social class characterized by insecure, temporary, or part-time work, limited social rights, and little trust in government, leading to anxiety, alienation, and blocked mobility.
195
Q: What is the asset economy?
A: A system where middle-class status and wealth depend more on owning assets (especially property) than on income, creating inequality between owners and non-owners.
196
Q: Define “millennial socialism.”
A: A political response among younger generations frustrated with asset-based inequality, advocating policies like rent control, wealth taxes, and expanded housing access.
197
Q: What is rentierism?
A: An economy dominated by income from assets like rent, dividends, and capital gains rather than labor, concentrating wealth among existing property owners.
198
Q: What is secular stagnation?
A: The theory that capitalism is in a long-term slowdown with sluggish growth, creating fewer stable jobs while asset owners continue to profit.
199
Q: Who are the salariat, proletariat, proficians, and plutocracy?
- Salariat: Stable, salaried workers with benefits.
- Proletariat: Traditional industrial working class, often unionized.
- Proficians: Freelance professionals/technicians, project-based work, insecure.
- Plutocracy: Wealthy elite, controlling income from assets and property.
200
Q: What is T.H. Marshall’s concept of social citizenship?
A: Social citizenship extends rights beyond civil and political spheres to include social rights, guaranteeing access to housing, healthcare, education, and welfare.
201
Q: What are workfare and activation policies?
A: Programs requiring welfare recipients to work or retrain to receive benefits (workfare) or combining social support with labor market incentives (activation) to encourage employment.
202
Q: How has neoliberalism affected welfare states and labor markets?
A: It reduces state intervention, promotes deregulation and privatization, weakens worker protections, and pressures governments to cut welfare, often increasing inequality.
203
Q: What happened to Canadian social housing and federal transfers since the 1980s?
A: Federal housing units declined sharply, housing shifted to a commodity, and the 1995 Canada Health and Social Transfer cut funding to provinces, forcing welfare rollbacks (except in Québec).
204
Q: What is precarious work, and how has it changed Canadian labor markets?
A: Non-standard employment (temporary, gig, contract) that is insecure, lacks benefits, and now comprises nearly 30% of Canadian jobs, reflecting declining employment security.
205
Q: In Community, Abed works multiple part-time campus jobs without benefits. Which social class does this represent?
A: The precariat — insecure work with little social protection.
206
Q: In Psych, Gus complains that housing prices are out of reach despite having a steady salary. Which concept is this illustrating?
A: The asset economy — middle-class status tied to property ownership rather than income.
207
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Rory receives financial aid and scholarships to attend Chilton. Which welfare principle does this reflect?
A: Social citizenship — state-supported or societal rights enabling access to education.
208
Q: In Suits, Louis pressures interns to work long hours to “earn their keep” while giving minimal support. Which policy critique does this echo?
A: Workfare/activation policies — enforcing labor as a condition of support, often punitive.
209
Q: In Burn Notice, Michael sees wealthy investors profit from property while local residents struggle to afford rent. What economic trend is being highlighted?
A: Rentierism — wealth accumulation through assets, not labor.
210
Q: In Community, the administration eliminates long-term staff benefits while hiring more part-time workers. Which labor market shift does this illustrate?
A: Rise of precarious work and declining employment security.
211
Q: In The Mentalist, Jane notices young professionals taking on multiple gigs instead of stable employment. What class are they part of?
A: Proficians — skilled but project-based and insecure work.
212
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Emily Gilmore’s family wealth passes across generations, enabling housing, education, and investments. Which concept does this show?
A: Intergenerational asset transfer — key to middle-class status in the asset economy.
213
Q: In Psych, Shawn and Gus comment on government cuts to healthcare and education funding. Which Canadian policy does this reference?
A: The 1995 Canada Health and Social Transfer — federal funding cuts forcing provinces to reduce social services.
214
Q: In Suits, Harvey negotiates a high-paying, stable job for a client while other employees face temporary contracts. Which labor divide does this reflect?
A: The growing divide between secure salariat jobs and precarious work.
215
Q: What is the housing-first approach?
A: A strategy for addressing homelessness that prioritizes giving individuals permanent housing before requiring treatment, employment, or other services.
216
Q: How did neoliberal policies in the 1980s–90s affect Canadian housing?
A: Reduced federal investment in affordable/social housing, framed welfare as wasteful, shifted responsibility for homelessness onto individuals, and contributed to rising homelessness rates.
217
Q: What is skill-biased technological change?
A: The idea that new technologies disproportionately reward highly educated or specialized workers, leaving low-skilled workers behind, contributing to inequality.
218
Q: What is policy drift?
A: When laws or regulations remain unchanged despite economic or social shifts, often benefiting elites and allowing inequality to persist.
219
Q: How do unions affect inequality?
A: Unions raise wages and benefits, create fairness norms, and influence nonunion workplaces. Declining union membership reduces bargaining power and widens income disparities.
220
Q: What is Marx’s base and superstructure theory?
A: The economic base (production system) shapes society, while the superstructure (law, politics, culture) maintains and legitimizes it.
221
Q: What is surplus value in capitalism?
A: The difference between what workers produce and what they are paid; the surplus becomes profit for capitalists, representing inherent exploitation.
222
Q: Engels on the family:
A: The nuclear family is a bourgeois institution to secure male dominance, inheritance, and property transmission, making marriage an economic as well as personal relation.
223
Q: What is social stratification?
A: A structured hierarchy ranking individuals by income, wealth, prestige, and power, influenced by institutions, history, and culture.
224
Q: Distinguish income from wealth.
A: Income: money earned over time; Wealth: net assets minus debts. Both contribute to social hierarchy and inequality.
225
Q: Types of social mobility:
A: Horizontal (same level), vertical (up/down), structural (societal shifts), intergenerational (parent → child), intragenerational (within life).
226
Q: Capital types: Survival, Human, Social, Cultural
- Survival Capital: Basic resources for life (food, shelter, healthcare).
- Human Capital: Skills, education, health.
- Social Capital: Networks and connections.
- Cultural Capital: Knowledge, taste, credentials signaling status.
227
Q: Equality of opportunity vs. equality of outcome:
A: Opportunity = fair competition on a level playing field. Outcome = redistribution to ensure more equal results.
228
Q: Rawls’ Two Principles of Justice:
A: 1) Equal basic liberties for all; 2) Social/economic inequalities are acceptable only if open to all and benefit the least advantaged.
229
Q: In Community, a student struggles to afford rent after graduation despite having a good job. Which concept does this illustrate?
A: Asset economy and housing-first failure — inability to access housing reinforces inequality.
230
Q: In Psych, Shawn observes tech CEOs earning millions while support staff earn minimum wage. What concept does this show?
A: Skill-biased technological change and the winner-take-all economy.
231
Q: In Burn Notice, Fiona notices that laid-off unionized workers accept lower wages in nonunion jobs. Which theory does this illustrate?
A: Spillover theory — union wage effects indirectly influence nonunion wages.
232
Q: In The Mentalist, Lisbon investigates the exploitation of factory workers who have no control over production. Which Marxist concept is shown?
A: Alienation — workers disconnected from their labor, products, and coworkers.
233
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Emily Gilmore emphasizes marrying into wealth to secure property and inheritance. Which theory explains this?
A: Engels on the family — nuclear family as economic institution to transmit wealth.
234
Q: In Community, Jeff argues that scholarships and aid create fair access to education, while others have inherited advantages. Which principle is this illustrating?
A: Equality of opportunity vs. equality of outcome.
235
Q: In Suits, senior partners inherit firm shares and influence while junior associates remain underpaid. Which U.S. inequality driver does this reflect?
A: Policy drift and hyperconcentration of wealth — elite advantage persists.
236
Q: In Burn Notice, Michael encounters both temporary contract workers and salaried employees with benefits. Which labor categories are represented?
A: Precarious workers vs. salariat — illustrating modern labor stratification.
237
Q: In Psych, the team notes that some employees succeed due to connections, education, and inherited advantages. What types of capital are being highlighted?
A: Social, human, and cultural capital — explaining structural inequality.
238
Q: In The Mentalist, a corporate executive argues markets naturally regulate themselves while workers struggle with low pay. Which economic paradigm is being reflected?
A: Classical laissez-faire economics — markets self-correct without state intervention.
239
Q: What is a welfare state?
A: A system in which the government provides social protection—such as healthcare, income security, and education—to ensure citizens’ well-being, balancing market, family, and state responsibilities.
240
Q: What are the three main welfare state regimes?
- Liberal/Market-Oriented: State provides minimal, means-tested support; markets dominate.
- Conservative/Corporatist: Welfare tied to family/employer; male-breadwinner model; benefits often incremental.
- Social Democratic: Universal, generous benefits; state actively reduces inequality and promotes full employment.
241
Q: What are social rights according to Marshall?
A: Rights to healthcare, education, and income security that are essential to social citizenship and shape how inequality is experienced.
242
Q: Key features of liberal welfare states:
A: Markets meet most needs; state only provides minimal safety nets; welfare often stigmatized and targeted; examples: U.S., U.K., Canada.
243
Q: Historical roots of liberal welfare:
A: Elizabethan Poor Laws (1601) and English Poor Law Reform (1834) provided aid only to those unable to work and made public support deliberately harsh to discourage dependency.
244
Q: Key features of conservative/corporatist welfare states:
A: Welfare delivered via family and employer insurance; male-breadwinner model; churches and employer networks important; incremental social policy.
245
Q: Key features of social democratic welfare states:
A: Universal and generous benefits; strong income redistribution; focus on full employment; Nordic countries (Sweden, Denmark, Norway) as examples.
246
Q: What is a hybrid welfare state?
A: A system mixing features from multiple regimes; e.g., Canada has Québec with social-democratic policies and Alberta with liberal-market policies.
247
Q: Core principles of neoliberalism:
A: Minimize state intervention, maximize market freedom, promote deregulation, privatization, free trade, low taxes, and minimal welfare.
248
Q: What does “disembedding capital” mean (Harvey, 2007)?
A: Freeing capital from social and political constraints so markets can operate with maximal flexibility and efficiency.
249
Q: How has globalization affected welfare states?
A: Global competition pressures countries to reduce welfare provision (“race to the bottom”) to attract investment, limiting state autonomy in social policy.
250
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Lorelai relies on her own income and minimal social support to manage daily life. Which welfare regime does this resemble?
A: Liberal/market-oriented welfare — individuals depend on markets and private means, with minimal state support.
251
Q: In Suits, employees receive healthcare and retirement plans through their firm rather than state programs. Which welfare model does this illustrate?
A: Conservative/corporatist regime — employer-based benefits and reliance on private networks for social protection.
252
Q: In Community, all students receive access to education, healthcare, and campus services regardless of income. Which welfare state principle does this reflect?
A: Social-democratic regime — universality and equal access to social protections.
253
Q: In Burn Notice, Michael notes that U.S. social programs are minimal, forcing people to fend for themselves. What historical policy influenced this?
A: Elizabethan Poor Laws and the English Poor Law Reform — stigmatizing welfare for the “deserving” poor.
254
Q: In The Mentalist, Lisbon observes companies lobbying to prevent generous worker protections. Which economic philosophy does this reflect?
A: Neoliberalism — minimizing state intervention and prioritizing market flexibility over social protection.
255
Q: In Psych, Shawn sees countries competing for investment by cutting social programs, while others maintain generous benefits and risk losing capital. What phenomenon does this illustrate?
A: Globalization-induced welfare convergence and “race to the bottom.”
256
Q: In Community, the campus enacts a mix of policies: some universal services, some means-tested. Which real-world concept does this mirror?
A: Hybrid welfare state — combining elements of liberal and social-democratic approaches.
257
Q: What is workfare?
A: Programs requiring welfare recipients to work in public service or training programs to receive benefits, aiming to reduce poverty through employment and skill development.
258
Q: What are activation policies?
A: Policies that integrate labor market measures and social welfare, emphasizing employment as the primary solution to social problems and linking aid to labor market participation.
259
Q: Critiques of workfare and activation policies:
A: Often trap participants in low-wage, unstable jobs; reduce social mobility; reinforce distinctions between “deserving” and “undeserving”; emphasize compliance over empowerment.
260
Q: What happened to Canada’s national housing policy from 1980–2006?
A: Federal funding for affordable housing dropped from 31,400 units to 4,393, shifting housing toward market-driven commodity status and increasing homelessness.
261
Q: What was the Canada Health and Social Transfer (1995)?
A: A federal block transfer that combined funding for health care, education, and social services; reduced direct transfers to families from 6.3% of GDP in 1993 to 3.8% in 2008, shifting fiscal responsibility to provinces.
262
Q: How did provincial reforms differ in Canada?
A: Most provinces cut welfare programs due to fiscal pressures, while Québec expanded social programs like childcare and parental leave, reflecting a social-democratic approach.
263
Q: Define labor market flexibility.
A: Economic restructuring that emphasizes adaptable wages, employment, job assignments, and skills to attract investment, often increasing worker insecurity.
264
Q: Who is the precariat (Standing, 2011)?
A: A global class of workers in insecure, temporary, or gig-based employment, often overqualified, lacking occupational identity, and reliant on unstable wages and conditional welfare.
265
Q: Other contemporary social classes:
- Plutocracy: Concentrated wealth and asset income.
- Salariat: Stable, salaried employment with benefits, shrinking in size.
- Proletariat: Industrial working class tied to unions and welfare, declining.
- Proficians: Freelance or contractual professionals and technicians.
266
Q: What is the asset economy?
A: A system where wealth and class status depend increasingly on property and other assets rather than wages, making homeownership a key determinant of middle-class identity.
267
Q: In Community, imagine Britta is required to do volunteer work at a local shelter to continue receiving financial aid. Which policy does this represent?
A: Workfare — linking social benefits to required labor or training.
268
Q: In Psych, Shawn observes a city where homelessness rises as affordable housing units are cut. Which Canadian federal trend does this reflect?
A: Erosion of national housing policy and neoliberal shifts reducing social protections.
269
Q: In Gilmore Girls, Lane's college tuition is supported, but her family must cover housing and food due to limited federal assistance. What does this illustrate?
A: Reduced federal support via Canada Health and Social Transfer and shifting responsibility to individuals/provinces.
270
Q: In Suits, a law firm uses contractors and short-term employees rather than permanent staff. Which labor market trend does this reflect?
A: Rise of precarious work and labor market flexibility, emphasizing temporary and insecure employment.
271
Q: In The Mentalist, Jane notes young professionals renting in expensive cities while older homeowners see their wealth grow. What concept is this?
A: The asset economy — rising property values concentrate wealth among property owners, shaping class status.
272
Q: In Burn Notice, Fiona sees certain provinces expand social services while others cut them due to federal funding cuts. Which real-world Canadian example is this?
A: Québec’s social-democratic approach vs. other provinces’ neoliberal austerity following Canada Health and Social Transfer reductions.
273
Q: In Community, students with odd or temporary jobs struggle to access stable housing or career progression. Which class does this scenario represent?
A: The precariat — insecure workers with temporary, low-control employment, often overqualified and trapped in precarity.
274
Q: What distinguishes Quebec’s social policy model from other Canadian provinces?
A: Highly targeted, generous policies supporting families, shaped by history, culture, politics, and economics—sometimes called the “Quebec model.”
275
Q: Name key family-focused policies in Quebec.
A:
- Subsidized daycare
- Extended parental leave
- Provincial family allowances
- Child-related tax credits
276
Q: How did Quebec’s social policies affect poverty and inequality?
A: Significantly reduced child poverty and economic inequality, especially in single-parent households; outcomes similar to Nordic social democracies.
277
Q: How did the Quiet Revolution shape Quebec’s social policies?
A: Secularization of social services shifted control from the Church to the state, allowing centralized, standardized, family-oriented policies.
278
Q: What role did labor unions and civil society play in Quebec’s policy model?
A: They actively shaped policies through demands, collaboration with government and corporate actors, strengthening the framework.
279
Q: How does Quebec’s social model reflect social democratic principles?
A: Strong state intervention in welfare, emphasis on equality, social protection, and reducing poverty.
280
Scenario Q: In Gilmore Girls, imagine a Quebec-style policy gave Lorelai low-cost daycare and extended parental leave. How would this affect her employment opportunities compared to a similar policy in another province?
A: She could work more easily while maintaining childcare, illustrating how targeted policies reduce family poverty and encourage labor force participation.
281
Q: What is labor market flexibility in a globalized economy?
A: The ability to hire, fire, and reskill workers easily to adapt to changing market demands.
282
Q: What are the main consequences of labor market flexibility for workers?
A: Insecurity, wage instability, and job uncertainty, despite attracting foreign investment and maintaining competitiveness.
283
Scenario Q: In Burn Notice, Michael’s contract work changes rapidly due to client needs. Which labor market principle does this illustrate?
A: Labor market flexibility and worker insecurity in a globalized context.
284
Q: What is a rentier class?
A: Individuals or groups accumulating wealth from ownership of assets/resources without producing new value.
285
Q: Give examples of rentier activities.
A:
- Collecting rent from tenants
- Receiving royalties from natural resources
- Banking/finance interest and fees
- Profiting from patents or intellectual property
286
Q: How does rentier activity affect the economy?
A: Excessive rentier accumulation can reduce productivity, hinder innovation, and concentrate wealth in non-productive sectors.
287
Q: How does the platform economy reflect modern rentier models?
A: Platforms like Uber, Airbnb, and Facebook extract value from others’ labor/assets without producing tangible goods themselves.
288
Scenario Q: Jeff Bezos invests in existing monopolies. Why is this considered rentier activity?
A: Gains wealth from capital ownership without direct productive labor or creating new goods.
289
Q: How do monopolies amplify rentier profits?
A: Exclusive control over a product or market allows high profits without producing new value.
290
Q: Who makes up the plutocracy?
A: The wealthiest individuals (top 1–0.01%), gaining wealth and power from asset ownership rather than labor.
291
Q: Who are the Salaria?
A: Professionals with stable, high-status jobs, permanent contracts, benefits, and relatively secure income (e.g., lawyers, doctors).
292
Q: Define the precariat.
A: Workers with insecure, temporary, or contract-based jobs, limited advancement, weak protections, and fragmented class identity.
293
Q: What are current trends in social stratification?
A:
- Plutocracy expanding
- Proletariat shrinking
- Precariat growing due to precarious, flexible employment
294
Scenario Q: In Psych, Shawn works gig-like jobs with no stability, while Gus holds a secure professional position. How would these characters fit into the social stratification pyramid?
A: Shawn = precariat; Gus = Salaria.
295
Q: How is contemporary inequality experienced according to Adkins, Cooper, and Konings?
A: Primarily through property ownership and housing market access (“in” vs. “out”), though income from work remains important for most people.
296
Q: What “logics” shape inequality in the asset economy?
A:
- Hypercapitalist logics of financialization
- “Feudal” logics of inheritance
297
Q: How have millennials been affected by neoliberal fiscal and financial policies?
A: Four decades of policies have increased dependence on family wealth for social mobility.
298
Q: How can socialist or authoritarian populism emerge in the asset economy?
A: As a response to rising inequality and the perception that political/economic systems favor the wealthy.
299
Scenario Q: In Community, imagine Abed is trying to buy an apartment but is blocked due to rising property prices, while his parents’ wealth could help. What concept does this illustrate?
A: Dependence on family wealth for social mobility in the asset economy.
300
Q: Why does inequality persist in the U.S. despite the middle class being the majority?
A: Politics as an electoral spectacle, media focus on narratives rather than policies, and influence of organized interests shaping rules in their favor.
301
Scenario Q: In The Mentalist, a candidate is shown taking large donations from corporations, shaping policies in their favor. Which concept does this illustrate?
A: Influence of organized interests in winner-takes-all politics.
302
Q: What major trends in U.S. taxation have contributed to inequality?
A:
- Decline in corporate income tax
- Decline in estate tax
- Significant reduction in taxation for the top 1% since the 1970s
303
Q: What is the estate tax in the U.S.?
A: A federal tax on property transferred after a person’s death, applied to wills or state laws of intestacy.
304
Q: How does the federal corporate tax work?
A: Taxes a corporation’s profits (revenue minus expenses).
305
Q: What happened to private sector unionism in the U.S.?
A: It collapsed, removing an organizational counterbalance to wealthy interest groups.
306
Q: What is “policy drift”?
A: Political inaction in the face of outdated or harmful policies, even when alternatives are available.
307
Scenario Q: In Burn Notice, imagine Michael’s old union protections no longer apply, leaving him vulnerable. Which concept does this illustrate?
A: Collapse of private sector unionism and policy drift.
308
Q: What trend has shaped executive pay in recent decades?
A: Erosion of policies limiting pay; stock options decouple compensation from actual performance.
309
Scenario Q: In Bones, if the CEO of a pharmaceutical company earns millions via stock options despite poor company performance, what does this illustrate?
A: Decoupling of executive compensation from performance.
310
Q: How has financial deregulation increased inequality?
A:
- Expansion of trading volumes (million to billion-share days)
- Massive income growth for investment bankers
- Reduced banking regulations below pre-New Deal levels
- Perverse incentives, e.g., mortgage brokers rewarded for risky loans
311
Scenario Q: A Wall Street trader profits massively from risky mortgage-backed securities due to relaxed regulations. What does this illustrate?
A: Perverse incentives and deregulation of the financial sector.
312
Q: What strategies are suggested to counter entrenched elite power?
A:
- Reduce capacity of elites to block reforms
- Develop organized groups to mobilize middle-class voters
- Monitor government and political processes on behalf of citizens
313
Scenario Q: In Psych, imagine Shawn and Gus start a civic group that monitors local elections to ensure policies benefit the community. Which solution does this represent?
A: Organizing middle-class groups to counter elite influence.
314
Q: What defines precarious work?
A: Work marked by insecurity and lack of labor rights or protections, rather than the specific type of task performed.
315
Q: How is the precariat different from the proletariat?
A: The proletariat had stable, unionized jobs with protections; the precariat faces insecure, rights-free employment regardless of the work’s nature.
316
Q: What are the six sources of “social income”?
A: Self-production, wages, family/community support, enterprise benefits, state benefits, and private savings/investments.
317
Q (Gilmore Girls Scenario):
Lorelai tells Rory that her freelance inn-design gigs are “so freeing” because she can control her hours. Rory points out that Lorelai has no benefits, pension, or job security. What concept is Rory highlighting?
A: Precarious work — flexibility with high insecurity and lack of protections.
318
Q (Burn Notice Scenario):
Michael Westen works temporary contracts as a “burned” spy. His work is highly skilled but unstable, with no rights or benefits. What class does this place him in?
A: The precariat.
319
Q (Community Scenario):
Abed explains that Amazon warehouse jobs can be “proletariat” or “precariat,” depending on context. What’s the distinction?
A: Unionized factory-like conditions = proletariat (stable). Rights-free gig economy conditions = precariat (insecure).
320
Q (It’s Always Sunny Scenario):
Charlie takes a seasonal job as a tree planter and declares himself a “professional arborist for life.” Dee points out he’ll be unemployed half the year with no protections. What labor concept does Dee highlight?
A: Precarious seasonal labor within the precariat.
321
Q: What are the psychological effects of precarious work?
A: Existential insecurity, alienation, constant stress about job retention, and loss of stable work identity.
322
Q (The Mentalist Scenario):
Lisbon notes that rotating between barista shifts, Uber driving, and temp work makes one feel replaceable and without identity as a professional. What is she describing?
A: Alienation and loss of work identity in the precariat.
323
Q: What did COVID-19 reveal about precarity?
A: It highlighted structural vulnerabilities, showing how workers without job security were most exposed to health and economic shocks.
324
Q (Bones Scenario):
Booth investigates why so many gig workers in D.C. lacked healthcare during COVID. Which sociological concept explains this?
A: Precarity in employment and loss of social income protections.
325
Q: What is power according to Max Weber?
A: Power is the ability of an individual or group to realize their will even against resistance from others.
326
Q: Scenario: In Burn Notice, a politician pushes a law through despite public protest. Which Weber concept is this?
A: Power – achieving goals despite opposition.
327
Q: How does Weber define class?
A: People sharing similar economic positions and life chances in acquiring material rewards; class arises from unequal access to resources.
328
Q: Scenario: In Psych, Shawn notices the difference between salaried employees and small business owners in how they handle finances. Which concept does this illustrate?
A: Class – economic position shapes opportunities.
329
Q: What is status (Weber)?
A: Social honor, prestige, or lifestyle recognized by others, independent of wealth.
330
Q: Scenario: In Gilmore Girls, a celebrity guest at Stars Hollow is treated with admiration even without owning much property. Which concept is shown?
A: Status – prestige recognized socially, not tied to wealth.
331
Q: What is conspicuous consumption (Veblen)?
A: Spending on luxury goods or services to display wealth and social standing rather than meet needs.
332
Q: Scenario: In It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Mac buys an expensive sports car to impress others despite being financially unstable. Which concept is this?
A: Conspicuous consumption – spending to signal status.
333
Q: What is the Veblen effect or cascading expenditures?
A: Rising consumption among the wealthy sets benchmarks for middle-class and near-rich households, creating social pressure to emulate.
334
Q: Scenario: In Community, Jeff feels pressured to buy designer shoes after seeing Pierce flaunt expensive sneakers. Which concept is illustrated?
A: Cascading expenditures – consumption signals social hierarchy.
335
Q: What is cultural capital (Bourdieu)?
A: Non-financial assets that enable social mobility and access to prestigious positions, including knowledge, skills, and habits.
336
Q: Scenario: In The Mentalist, Lisbon values candidates who speak multiple languages and have etiquette skills for high-level social events. Which concept is this?
A: Cultural capital – skills and dispositions that provide social advantage.
337
Q: What are the three forms of cultural capital?
A: Embodied (habits/skills), Objectified (cultural goods like books), Institutionalized (credentials/degrees).
338
Q: Scenario: In Psych, Gus impresses an elite client by playing piano (embodied), gifting rare books (objectified), and showing a degree from Yale (institutionalized). What concept is this?
A: Forms of cultural capital – embodied, objectified, institutionalized.
339
Q: What is habitus (Bourdieu)?
A: A system of dispositions, tastes, and habits acquired through socialization that guide behavior naturally and unconsciously.
340
Q: Scenario: In Community, Abed intuitively navigates film and TV culture because of his upbringing, shaping his interactions with others. Which concept is this?
A: Habitus – socialized dispositions guiding behavior.
341
Q: What is the role of habitus in perpetuating inequality?
A: It predisposes individuals to act according to their social class, making inequality self-reinforcing across generations.
342
Q: Scenario: In Gilmore Girls, Rory’s elite schooling and manners help her integrate into high-status social circles, unlike peers from working-class backgrounds. Which concept does this show?
A: Habitus – upbringing shapes access to social advantages.
343
Q: What does Rivera (2012) show about elite hiring?
A: Employers prioritize cultural fit (leisure, social behavior, habits) over technical skill, reproducing social inequality.
344
Q: Scenario: In Burn Notice, Michael notices a consulting firm hires a candidate who plays golf with the partners rather than the technically best applicant. Which concept is this?
A: Cultural matching – elite hiring favors social and cultural similarity.
345
Q: How does Bourdieu link cultural capital to economic success?
A: Cultural capital converts into economic capital by enabling access to high-paying, prestigious positions.
346
Q: Scenario: In Psych, Shawn’s charm, etiquette, and knowledge of wine help him land lucrative cases even without formal legal credentials. Which concept is illustrated?
A: Cultural capital as a pathway to economic advantage.
347
Q: How do Frank, Bourdieu, and Rivera collectively explain inequality?
A: Inequality operates economically (class), culturally (status, habitus, consumption), and socially (elite hiring), creating self-reinforcing systems.
348
Q: Scenario: In Community, a group of students from different backgrounds compete for leadership of a student organization. Upper-middle-class students dominate due to connections, habits, and social skills, not just grades. Which concept is this?
A: Multi-dimensional inequality – economic, cultural, and social factors reinforce advantage.
349
Q: What is institutional racism?
A: Racism embedded in organizational rules, codes, and structures that create unequal outcomes for racialized groups, even without explicit prejudice.
350
Q: In The Mentalist, if Cho applies for a loan but is denied because his neighborhood is coded as “risky” by the bank’s system, what does this illustrate?
A: Institutional racism through systemic rules that disadvantage certain groups.
351
Q: What was redlining?
A: A practice where banks and insurers marked minority neighborhoods as “high risk,” denying loans, mortgages, and insurance, leading to urban decay and poverty concentration.
352
Q: In Community, if Shirley can’t get a loan to expand her sandwich shop because her neighborhood is “redlined,” what inequality is this an example of?
A: Housing discrimination via redlining.
353
Q: What were the long-term effects of racial exclusion from suburbs?
A: Black families were excluded from wealth-building through homeownership, creating a lasting racial wealth gap.
354
Q: What is felon disenfranchisement?
A: Laws that strip voting rights from people with felony convictions, disproportionately affecting Black Americans.
354
Q: In Gilmore Girls, if Lane’s family was barred from moving into Stars Hollow suburbs despite affording it, what historical practice would this reflect?
A: Racial exclusion from suburban housing markets.
355
Q: In Bones, if Cam is barred from voting after a minor offense while others aren’t affected, what form of institutional racism does this show?
A: Felon disenfranchisement laws.
356
Q: What is the “culture of poverty” argument?
A: The idea (Oscar Lewis, Moynihan Report) that poor families pass down values like impulsivity and dependency that perpetuate poverty.
357
Q: How did policymakers use the “culture of poverty” idea?
A: To justify cutting welfare, arguing that dependency and weak family structures caused poverty.
358
Q: In It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, if policymakers blame the gang’s poverty on their “lazy” lifestyle instead of systemic barriers, what explanation is this?
A: The culture of poverty argument.
359
Q: What was William Julius Wilson’s structural critique of poverty?
A: Poverty is caused by structural factors like deindustrialization, spatial mismatch, and government disinvestment — not cultural failings.
360
Q: In Burn Notice, if Michael finds that factories closing in Miami leave workers jobless and unable to move to the suburbs, what explanation fits?
A: Wilson’s structural argument about racialized poverty.
361
Q: How did highways enforce segregation?
A: They were often built through poor or Black neighborhoods, displacing residents and creating physical barriers that deepened segregation.
362
Q: In Psych, if Gus’s childhood neighborhood is demolished for a highway and his family is pushed into poorer housing, what concept is this?
A: Urban renewal/slum clearance displacing marginalized communities.
363
Q: What happened to Montreal’s Little Burgundy?
A: A thriving Black community and cultural hub was destroyed by urban renewal and highway projects, scattering residents and concentrating poverty.
364
Q: In Gilmore Girls, if Taylor Doose pushed for “slum clearance” to modernize Stars Hollow, displacing low-income residents, what larger process would that represent?
A: Urban renewal and the displacement of marginalized communities.
365
Q: What did Massey and Denton argue in American Apartheid?
A: Racial segregation is the central structural cause of persistent Black poverty, creating self-reinforcing poverty traps.
366
Q: What did Wilson add in The Truly Disadvantaged?
A: Middle-class Black families often leave poor neighborhoods, removing leadership and stability, deepening decline.
367
Q: In Bones, if Booth notes that when middle-class families leave a neighborhood, schools and businesses collapse, what theory does this show?
A: Wilson’s explanation of concentrated poverty.
368
Q: What is the Dissimilarity Index?
A: A measure of residential segregation: 0 = full integration, 1 = complete segregation.
369
Q: In Community, if Abed says “79% of residents would need to move for integration in Atlanta,” what measure is he referencing?
A: The Dissimilarity Index.
370
Q: What term is preferred in Canadian sociology: “racialized people” or “visible minorities”? Why?
A: “Racialized people,” because it emphasizes how society assigns meaning/power to race rather than implying inherent traits.
371
Q: In Psych, if Shawn explains that Toronto’s poorest neighborhoods are disproportionately racialized despite no official segregation laws, what concept is he describing?
A: Canadian racialization and concentrated poverty.
Social Stratification
flashcards
Decks in class (3)
# Cards
