The Edict on Maximum Prices, Established by the Roman Emperor

question 283

Multiple Choice

The Edict on Maximum Prices, established by the Roman Emperor Diocletian, created price ceilings on various jobs and goods in a failed effort to curb inflation. For example, legal pay for a farm laborer could be no more than 10.8¢ a day (payment set in modern currency) . If the market rate of farm labor was 12¢ a day, which would be a plausible consequence of this law?

• A) farms would produce more food than they otherwise would
• B) nothing unusual
• C) a laborer would work less hard than he otherwise would
• D) an increase in unemployment for farm hands

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Definitions:

Age-Adjusted Mortality Rate

A statistical measure that allows comparison of the mortality rates between populations with different age distributions by standardizing to a given age structure.

Political Changes

Alterations or evolutions in the governance structure, policy, or leadership of a political entity such as a country, state, or municipality.

Unadjusted Rate

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Demographic Characteristics

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