Question 1

Suppose society consists of four individuals: Andy,Bill,Carl,and David.Andy has $20,000 of income,Bill has $40,000 of income,Carl has $60,000 of income,and David has $80,000 of income.A utilitarian would argue that

Accepted Answer

A)   taking $1 from Bill and giving it to Carl would increase society's total utility.
B)   taking $1 from Carl and giving it to Andy would increase society's total utility.
C)   taking $1 from Carl and giving it to David would increase society's total utility.
D)   taking $1 from Bill and giving it to David would increase society's total utility.E) B) and C)
F) None of the above

Question 2

Of the following countries,which has the most equal distribution of income? United States,Brazil,Mexico,China,Japan,Germany,Canada,Russia

Accepted Answer

The answer of Of the following countries,which has the most...

Question 3

Which of the following programs would be opposed by philosopher John Rawls?

Accepted Answer

A)   a negative income tax
B)   the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program
C)   a tax plan creating a perfectly egalitarian income distribution
D)   Rawls would oppose all of the programs.E) All of the above
F) A) and B)

Question 4

The U.S.welfare system was revised by a 1996 law that

Accepted Answer

A)   consolidated all of the previous assistance programs into a single program.
B)   limited the amount of time that people could receive assistance.
C)   said it was no longer necessary for poor people to demonstrate an additional "need," such as small children or a disability,to qualify for assistance.
D)   turned all federally-run welfare programs over to the states.E) A) and C)
F) C) and D)

Question 5

Table 20-8
  Source: U.S.Bureau of Census
-Refer to Table 20-8.In 2008,the top fifth of families has

Accepted Answer

A)   about 12 times as much income as the bottom fifth of families.
B)   6.8% more income than the bottom fifth of families.
C)   47.8% more income than the bottom fifth of families.
D)   96.6% more income than the bottom fifth of families.E) B) and C)
F) None of the above

Question 6

Which of the following statements is characteristic of utilitarianism?

Accepted Answer

A)   An extra dollar of income provides higher marginal utility to a poor person than to a rich person.
B)   Social policies should be created behind a "veil of ignorance."
C)   Society should strive to maximize the utility of its wealthiest member.
D)   Equality of opportunity is more important than equality of incomes.E) B) and C)
F) B) and D)

Question 7

Which of the following statements illustrates diminishing marginal utility?

Accepted Answer

A)   An extra dollar of income to a poor person provides that person with more additional utility than does an extra dollar to a rich person.
B)   An extra dollar of income to a poor person provides that person with less additional utility than does an extra dollar to a rich person.
C)   An extra dollar of income to a poor person provides that person with the same additional utility as does an extra dollar to a rich person.
D)   An extra dollar of income to a poor person provides that person with the same total utility as does an extra dollar to a rich person.E) A) and B)
F) None of the above

Question 8

In 2008,the poverty line for a family of four in the U.S.was

Accepted Answer

A)   $56,194.
B)   $22,025.
C)   $19,971.
D)   $12,603.E) A) and C)
F) A) and B)

Question 9

The percentage of the population whose family income falls below an absolute level is call the

Accepted Answer

The answer of The percentage of the population whose family...

Question 10

Which of the following statements is not correct?

Accepted Answer

A)   Libertarians are opposed to redistributing income.
B)   Critics of the welfare system argue that it breaks up families.
C)   One of the problems with measuring income inequality is valuing in-kind transfers.
D)   Utilitarians believe that the government should punish crimes but should not redistribute income.E) B) and C)
F) B) and D)

Question 11

The only qualification to receive government assistance under a negative income tax is

Accepted Answer

A)   pre-school children.
B)   to be enrolled in job training.
C)   a working head-of-household.
D)   a low income.E) C) and D)
F) A) and C)

Question 12

Suppose the average value of in-kind transfers increases by $2,000 from 2010 to 2011.The poverty rate

Accepted Answer

A)   is more likely to understate the true level of poverty.
B)   is more likely to overstate the true level of poverty.
C)   will increase by $2,000 divided by the poverty level.
D)   Both b and c are correct.E) A) and B)
F) B) and D)

Question 13

When the government enacts policies to make the distribution of income more equitable,it distorts incentives,alters behavior,and makes the allocation of resources less efficient.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

"Only individual members of society earn income,not society itself." This statement is most closely associated with the political philosophy of a

Accepted Answer

A)   utilitarian.
B)   liberal.
C)   libertarian.
D)   None of the above is correct.E) None of the above
F) A) and D)

Question 15

In general,which of the following would libertarians argue is more important than equal outcomes?

Accepted Answer

A)   equal opportunities
B)   equal incomes
C)   providing a social safety net
D)   offering the opportunity to purchase social insuranceE) B) and D)
F) A) and D)

Question 16

Which of the following was a recommendation made by a panel of scholars at the National Academy of Sciences regarding measurement of poverty?

Accepted Answer

A)   Establish a poverty threshold based on expenditures for a bundle of necessities including food,shelter,clothing,and utilities.
B)   Allow variations in the poverty line based on differences in housing costs.
C)   Include tax payments (or credits) and the value of in-kind transfers when computing a family's "income."
D)   All of the above are correct.E) All of the above
F) A) and B)

Question 17

Robert Nozick criticizes Rawls's concept of justice by using an example of

Accepted Answer

A)   minimum wage laws.
B)   the grade distribution in a class.
C)   a leaky bucket.
D)   the price of tea in China.E) A) and D)
F) B) and C)

Question 18

Which of the following programs to alleviate poverty would be most favored by philosopher Robert Nozick?

Accepted Answer

A)   a negative income tax
B)   an Earned Income Tax Credit (EIT
C)  
C)   an in-kind transfer program
D)   None of the programs would be favored by Nozick.E) B) and C)
F) A) and B)

Question 19

The poverty line is adjusted each year to reflect changes in the

Accepted Answer

A)   number of people currently on public assistance.
B)   level of prices.
C)   nutritional content of an "adequate" diet.
D)   size of a family.E) C) and D)
F) None of the above

Question 20

Table 20-5
  *A Gini coefficient is a commonly used measure of income inequality,with values between 0 and 1 (0 corresponds to perfect equality whereby everyone has exactly the same income,and 1 corresponds to perfect inequality where one person has all the income,while everyone else has zero income) .
Source: The World Bank
-Refer to Table 20-5.Which of the following statements is correct?

Accepted Answer

A)   Latvia has the most unequal distribution of income.
B)   France has a more equal distribution of income than Italy.
C)   Sweden has the most equal distribution of income.
D)   All of the above are correct.E) A) and D)
F) B) and D)

Exam 20: Income Inequality and Poverty

Which of the following was a recommendation made by a panel of scholars at the National Academy of Sciences regarding measurement of poverty?

Correct Answer
verified

Suppose society consists of four individuals: Andy,Bill,Carl,and David.Andy has $20,000 of income,Bill has $40,000 of income,Carl has $60,000 of income,and David has $80,000 of income.A utilitarian would argue that

Correct Answer
verified

The only qualification to receive government assistance under a negative income tax is

Correct Answer
verified

"Only individual members of society earn income,not society itself." This statement is most closely associated with the political philosophy of a

Correct Answer
verified

Table 20-8 Source: U.S.Bureau of Census -Refer to Table 20-8.In 2008,the top fifth of families has

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following programs would be opposed by philosopher John Rawls?

Correct Answer
verified

Suppose the average value of in-kind transfers increases by $2,000 from 2010 to 2011.The poverty rate

Correct Answer
verified

In general,which of the following would libertarians argue is more important than equal outcomes?

Correct Answer
verified

The poverty line is adjusted each year to reflect changes in the

Correct Answer
verified

The percentage of the population whose family income falls below an absolute level is call the

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following statements is not correct?

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following statements is characteristic of utilitarianism?

Correct Answer
verified

Robert Nozick criticizes Rawls's concept of justice by using an example of

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following programs to alleviate poverty would be most favored by philosopher Robert Nozick?

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following statements illustrates diminishing marginal utility?

Correct Answer
verified

When the government enacts policies to make the distribution of income more equitable,it distorts incentives,alters behavior,and makes the allocation of resources less efficient.

Correct Answer
verified

The U.S.welfare system was revised by a 1996 law that

Correct Answer
verified

In 2008,the poverty line for a family of four in the U.S.was

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Of the following countries,which has the most equal distribution of income? United States,Brazil,Mexico,China,Japan,Germany,Canada,Russia

Correct Answer
verified

Exam 20: Income Inequality and Poverty

Which of the following was a recommendation made by a panel of scholars at the National Academy of Sciences regarding measurement of poverty?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Suppose society consists of four individuals: Andy,Bill,Carl,and David.Andy has $20,000 of income,Bill has $40,000 of income,Carl has $60,000 of income,and David has $80,000 of income.A utilitarian would argue that

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The only qualification to receive government assistance under a negative income tax is

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

"Only individual members of society earn income,not society itself." This statement is most closely associated with the political philosophy of a

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Table 20-8 Source: U.S.Bureau of Census -Refer to Table 20-8.In 2008,the top fifth of families has

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following programs would be opposed by philosopher John Rawls?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Suppose the average value of in-kind transfers increases by $2,000 from 2010 to 2011.The poverty rate

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In general,which of the following would libertarians argue is more important than equal outcomes?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The poverty line is adjusted each year to reflect changes in the

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The percentage of the population whose family income falls below an absolute level is call the

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following statements is not correct?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following statements is characteristic of utilitarianism?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Robert Nozick criticizes Rawls's concept of justice by using an example of

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following programs to alleviate poverty would be most favored by philosopher Robert Nozick?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following statements illustrates diminishing marginal utility?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

When the government enacts policies to make the distribution of income more equitable,it distorts incentives,alters behavior,and makes the allocation of resources less efficient.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The U.S.welfare system was revised by a 1996 law that

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In 2008,the poverty line for a family of four in the U.S.was

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Of the following countries,which has the most equal distribution of income? United States,Brazil,Mexico,China,Japan,Germany,Canada,Russia

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified