View a FREE sample

This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through The Pecuniary Standard of Living.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What aspect of culture was a condition for the development of a leisure class?
(a) The entire community had to be involved in earning subsistence.
(b) Community standards of decency had to be fairly loose.
(c) The goal of a good life had to involve hard work.
(d) Subsistence could be obtained without the entire community.

2. What happens when a community develops a standard of wealth?
(a) Anything below that level becomes objectionable.
(b) Anything beyond that level becomes meritorious.
(c) Society persecutes those below that level.
(d) Society bands together to care for those below that level.

3. What does Veblen say results from the possession and consumption of goods?
(a) Women demand greater rights.
(b) Debt produces a new class of slave.
(c) Widespread physical comforts.
(d) Competitive sports replace warfare.

4. What happens when men come into wealth through peaceful means?
(a) Property becomes an indicator of success.
(b) Property becomes the measure of spiritual values.
(c) Property becomes an indicator of heritage.
(d) Property becomes the subject of competition and warfare.

5. What does Veblen say the effects of an ownership society are on the behavior of its members?
(a) It makes people economically insecure.
(b) It makes people frugal.
(c) It makes people conservative.
(d) It makes people warlike.

Short Answer Questions

1. Which cultures exhibited the leisure class?

2. Where is conspicuous consumption most prevalent?

3. What factors drove the emergence of the leisure class?

4. What does consumption yield to the individual?

5. What does Veblen call the code of conduct for servants?

(see the answer key)

This section contains 270 words (approx. 1 page at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample