SOCI: Exam 4

The highest unemployment rate the U.S. suffered during the Great Recession was _______.

10%.

By 2012, the poverty line for a family of four was about:

annual income around 23,000.

The __________ class is defined by its dependence on income-producing wealth.

capitalist.

six classes identified by gilbert

capitalist. upper-middle class. middle class. working class. working poor. underclass.

the three factors that may help us account for the current rate of poverty

economic change. a society-wide revolution in family patterns. shifts in government policy.

Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) would be an example of a(n):

entitlement program.

"Food insecurity" remained stable between 2007 and 2012

false.

According to 2011 data, between 10 and 15 million Americans are poor.

false.

Although the economic resources of the Capitalist Class enable them to operate within the world of politics in ways that reinforce their structural position, they are unable to operate in a similar fashion within the world of media.

false.

By 2012, the poverty line for a family of four was about $19,000.

false.

Great Recession followed the same pattern as seen in 20th century recessions.

false.

In 2007, the percentage of women earning poverty wages remained well below that for men.

false.

Members of the working class have high rates of political participation.

false.

Only a minority of the poor live in suburbs, small towns, and rural areas; the majority live in the central cities of metropolitan areas.

false.

The Age of Growing Inequality seems to be coming to a close with the end of the Great Recession.

false.

The official poverty line is adjusted annually for inflation and takes into account standard of living.

false.

The poor are more likely to be over 65 and less likely to be under 18 than they were in 1960.

false.

The welfare reform of 1996 has been highly successful in reducing poverty.

false.

The working poor are highly involved in the political process.

false.

There has been an appreciable reduction in the poverty rate since the 1960s.

false.

facts about the american middle class

large & diverse. Gilbert suggests that the middle class is not dissapearing. the changing character of work has largely eliminated traditional differences between blue and white collar work.

Many Americans experience poverty temporarily due to:

loss of job. divorce. physical injury.

policy the American government could choose to adopt that would help decrease persistent poverty

make EITC & food stamp programs more generous. provide quality child care at low or no cost. provide free post-secondary education. raise & index the minimum wage. stengthen labor unions.

Which of the following programs were initiated during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations?

medicare, medicaid, food stamp program.

The proportion of people with household incomes under half the poverty level has climbed substantially since the:

mid 1970s.

Together these two classes make up the majority of the American class structure.

middle & working class.

Which individual, working as an economist with the Social Security Administration in 1974, developed a measure of poverty that would become the official federal standard?

mollie orshansky.

"Means-tested" public assistance programs are:

only available to people with incomes below a specific threshold.

Public policy has become more responsive to the __________ classes and less responsive to __________ classes.

privileged; other.

The most powerful anti-poverty program is __________.

social security.

The Gilbert model of the American class structure emphasizes:

source of income.

government statistics for 2012

the poverty line was 23,000. between 2007 and 2012, the poverty rate increased from 12.5% to 15%, an increase of 9 million people. food insecure household numbers have not changed.

The lifestyles of the upper-middle class are becoming increasingly normative for the whole of American society.

true

Although intergenerational upward social mobility is still pretty common, it has slowed in the Age of Growing Inequality.

true.

Divorce and unwed motherhood are no longer stigmatized as they once were.

true.

Manufacturing is still an important part of the U.S. economy, but computers and robots have decreased the need for unskilled labor.

true.

Since the early 1970s, wages have more or less stagnated and the distribution of wages has become increasingly unequal.

true.

The Earned Income Tax Credit became the biggest cash transfer program for needy parents and children.

true.

The Gilbert model of the American class structure emphasizes amount of income.

true.

The most powerful anti-poverty program is Social Security.

true.

The official poverty measure probably underestimates the number of Americans in poverty.

true.

The postindustrial economy tends toward occupational polarization.

true.

The research of Ornati and Rainwater supported the idea that a minimum living standard is relative

true.

There are many more white poor than black or Hispanic poor.

true.

According to Gilbert, limited and erratic work histories, lack of skills, and incomplete education makes finding full-time employment difficult for members of this class.

underclass.

The ever-increasing purchasing power of this class is making it more influential, and their lifestyles are becoming increasingly normative for the whole of American society. Which of the following classes fits this description?

upper-middle class.

Which class can be distinguished from the Capitalist Class not only because they have lower incomes, but because the majority of their income is acquired through salaries and/or professional fees as opposed to income generating wealth?

upper-middle class.

President Lyndon Johnson identified his __________ as one of the top priorities of his administration.

war on poverty.

The political influence of this group has declined significantly as the good-producing industries of the economy, which typically had strong union membership, have contracted.

working class.

The lower boundary of this class, defined by commitment to employment, is blurred by the tendency of some individuals to move back and forth across it.

working poor.