View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the state of the institution with regard to the present moment?

2. How does Veblen say the clothing of worshipers differs from daily clothing?

3. What doctrine does education contribute to, in Veblen's opinion?

4. According to Veblen, what effect does education have on the leisure class?

5. Whose theories influenced Veblen's ideas about selective adaptation?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do institutions change?

2. How do sports relate to the fighting spirit?

3. How does Veblen's book reveal Darwin's influence?

4. What traits in men are required for the success of a community, in Veblen's description?

5. How are leisure-class women like members of the clergy?

6. How do sports demonstrate belief in luck, or semireligious sentiment?

7. Where does Veblen believe the desire to gamble originates?

8. What are the effects of devout observances?

9. How does Veblen describe devout observances?

10. How does one move from the industrial class to the leisure class?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

At what rank does the leisure class end in industrial culture? Is it just the upper classes, or are all people leisure class if they are anywhere above subsistence?

Essay Topic 2

Why does society need to have its industrial efficiency reduced through devout observances and the belief in unseen hands? What would happen if society accelerated toward efficiency? What does reducing efficiency allow for a leisure class? What does it offer for the other classes?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 885 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample