Questions – Chapter 8

Skip the appendix when reading chapter 8.

1. Are monopolies the only form of capital concentration? If not, what other forms of capital concentration are there?

2. How were the British, German and American cases different in the increase in concentration of economic power?

3. What is the difference between income and wealth?

4. What is neoclassical economic theory?

5. What were some criticisms of this theory?

6. What were the responses to these criticisms?

7. What is “Social Darwinism”?

8. According to the book, what is the ideology of businessmen?

9. What is meant by the “new Christian paternalistic ethic”?

10. What was the New Deal?

11. What was NIRA? What was its’ purpose? How did it work out in practice?

12. How could you test the hypothesis that capital is being concentrated?

13. What do you see as being the strong points and weak points of the theory of social Darwinism?

14. Does the ideology of businessmen discussed n the book appear to be that of business interests today?

15. How is the “new Christian paternalistic ethic” different from the feudal Christian paternalistic ethic?