GEOG 324 MIDTERM II EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
2025/2026
What does political economy study ? - ANS How power, labor, and economic systems shape
environmental outcomes. Focusing on who benefits, who pays, and how capitalism affects
nature.
How does political economy differ from "individual responsibility" approaches? - ANS It sees
environmental problems as systemic results of capitalist production, not just personal consumer
choices.
What key question does political economy ask about any environmental issue? - ANS Who
controls production? Who profits? Who bears the environmental cost?
What major system does political economy critique? - ANS Capitalism, because it relies on
endless growth, exploitation of labor, and commodification of nature.
What does the "under-pollution" memo by Lawrence Summers illustrate? - ANS The absurd
logic of market economics. Valuing poor lives less, so pollution appears "efficient" if moved to
poorer nations.
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, What does this example reveal about global inequality? That environmental burdens are often
exported to poorer regions. - ANS an example of uneven development.
What is surplus value? - ANS The difference between the value workers produce and the
wages they're paid the source of capitalist profit.
How does labor connect to environmental harm? - ANS Expanding production for profit
requires more resources, energy, and waste. Driving environmental degradation.
What does accumulation mean in capitalism? - ANS Profits are constantly reinvested to
produce more goods and generate more profit.
What happens when there's over-production? - ANS Too many goods and not enough buyers
→ economic & environmental crises.
How do companies respond to over-production? - ANS By creating new markets or false
needs. e.g., bottled water or "eco-friendly" packaging.
What are crises of capitalism? - ANS Breakdowns such as over-production, under-
consumption, or ecological collapse that reveal contradictions in the system.
What does "production of nature" mean? - ANS Nature isn't separate from society. It's
shaped, altered, and commodified by human labor and capital.
Give an example of nature being produced. - ANS Turning water into bottled water.
Extracting, bottling, branding, and selling a common resource.
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
2025/2026
What does political economy study ? - ANS How power, labor, and economic systems shape
environmental outcomes. Focusing on who benefits, who pays, and how capitalism affects
nature.
How does political economy differ from "individual responsibility" approaches? - ANS It sees
environmental problems as systemic results of capitalist production, not just personal consumer
choices.
What key question does political economy ask about any environmental issue? - ANS Who
controls production? Who profits? Who bears the environmental cost?
What major system does political economy critique? - ANS Capitalism, because it relies on
endless growth, exploitation of labor, and commodification of nature.
What does the "under-pollution" memo by Lawrence Summers illustrate? - ANS The absurd
logic of market economics. Valuing poor lives less, so pollution appears "efficient" if moved to
poorer nations.
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, What does this example reveal about global inequality? That environmental burdens are often
exported to poorer regions. - ANS an example of uneven development.
What is surplus value? - ANS The difference between the value workers produce and the
wages they're paid the source of capitalist profit.
How does labor connect to environmental harm? - ANS Expanding production for profit
requires more resources, energy, and waste. Driving environmental degradation.
What does accumulation mean in capitalism? - ANS Profits are constantly reinvested to
produce more goods and generate more profit.
What happens when there's over-production? - ANS Too many goods and not enough buyers
→ economic & environmental crises.
How do companies respond to over-production? - ANS By creating new markets or false
needs. e.g., bottled water or "eco-friendly" packaging.
What are crises of capitalism? - ANS Breakdowns such as over-production, under-
consumption, or ecological collapse that reveal contradictions in the system.
What does "production of nature" mean? - ANS Nature isn't separate from society. It's
shaped, altered, and commodified by human labor and capital.
Give an example of nature being produced. - ANS Turning water into bottled water.
Extracting, bottling, branding, and selling a common resource.
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
