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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What do silver spoons have that machine-made spoons do not?

2. What is the relationship between manners and class?

3. According to Veblen, property became a prerequisite for what?

4. How does Veblen say the upper classes in an agricultural society see work?

5. What does Veblen say happens to cultures that develop knowledge and tools?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the labor class view its work?

2. How are the different social classes distinguished?

3. How does the individual consumer think of his conspicuous waste?

4. How are habits formed?

5. How are churches and ornate buildings related to conspicuous waste?

6. How does style ensure conspicuous waste?

7. What distinguishes the leisure class from the other classes?

8. How does Veblen describe the differences between the sexes and the effect of those differences on economic life of a society?

9. How have women's clothes demonstrated that the woman does not engage in productive employment?

10. In what way is dress an example of conspicuous waste?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Who believes in the unseen hand, and how do people who believe in the unseen hand differ from those who do not?

Essay Topic 2

Where does the wealth come from that allows the leisure class to consume so much vicariously or conspicuously? How does the leisure class ensure its control over the means of production? That is, how does Veblen--or does Veblen--reflect the influence of Marxist economic and political theory?

Essay Topic 3

Which is mor important to the leisure class, conformity or individuality? Is the leisure class selfish or clannish? Or is selfishness a form of class cohesion?

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