Comprehension quiz

Wealth Gap Seminar Discussion

Listen to the lesson carefully, then answer 10 comprehension questions. Pick one option per question.

Question 1What is the seminar discussion mainly focused on?

Summarising Piketty's life and career Debating the political feasibility of a wealth tax Comparing income taxes across Europe Explaining how capital flight works

Question 2According to the reading, what mattered more in the failure of the French wealth tax?

Capital flight by wealthy taxpayers The high rate of the tax Public opposition to the policy Difficulties in valuing private assets

Question 3How will the students structure their joint presentation?

Around the question of feasibility Around the history of wealth taxes Around Piketty's main critics Around global tax statistics

Question 4What does today's seminar build directly on, according to the opening reminder?

A previous essay on taxation A lecture about economic growth Last week's reading about wealth concentration A documentary about French politics

Question 5What is the student's attitude towards Piketty's central argument?

Completely dismissive of it Fairly persuaded but unsure about one claim Confused by the whole theory Entirely convinced by every detail

Question 6What objection did several reviewers raise about Piketty's data?

It covered too few countries It relied on unverified surveys It conflated housing wealth with productive capital It ignored income from labour

Question 7What changed the student's mind about the critics' position?

The supplementary chapters in the second edition A television debate about inequality New statistics from the government Advice from the seminar leader

Question 8What does one student suggest comparing the global wealth tax with?

More conventional progressive income taxes Local property taxes Corporate profit taxes Historical trade tariffs

Question 9What was wrong with the revenue forecasts for the French wealth tax?

They were never published They ignored inflation completely They underestimated collection costs They proved wildly optimistic

Question 10What ultimately undermined the French wealth tax, according to the discussion?

The breadth of its exemptions The low rate of the tax A change of government Widespread public protests