Sociology 250

Midterm Examination

October 13, 1995

Time: 50 minutes

Answer each of the following four questions. Within each question you have choices. The points associated with each question are given at the start of the question.

1. Definition or Explanation. (3 x 3 = 9 points). Select three (3) of the following concepts and in a sentence or two define or explain the meaning of the concept.

liberalism social honour class consciousness

pairing family labour power absolute surplus value

idealism petty bourgeois calling

2. Differences between Concepts. (2 x 8 = 16 points). Select two (2) of the following pairs and in a few sentences explain the difference between the concepts in each pair.

a. inner-worldly asceticism and other-worldly asceticism

b. empirical investigation and abstract thought

c. alienation and surplus value

d. landlord and bourgeois

e. social division of labour and detail division of labour

3. Short Answer. (15 points). Select one (1) of the following and write a paragraph on the topic or question.

a. Why is the Enlightenment often regarded as the forerunner of sociology?

b. For Engels, what is the connection between property and patriarchy?

c. Marx's view of human potential.

d. Why might an ethnic group be considered a status group?

4. Misleading Statements. (15 points). Choose one (1) of the following statements and comment on why the statement might be misleading or incorrect. Try to rewrite the statement in a form that more accurately reflects the view of the auth or or authors.

a. According to Marx, alienation would cease to be a problem in capitalism if employers were only to give workers more control over the labour process.

b. Greed is the key to capitalism for both Marx and Weber. For Marx, the materialist approach to history is the history of greed, and Weber defines capitalism as greed.

    1. According to Weber, the primary cause of capitalism was the influence of the Reformation and the development of the Protestant ethic.

 

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