Conspicuous Consumption

Definition

Conspicuous consumption refers to the practice of purchasing and displaying luxury goods and services to publicly demonstrate wealth, social status, and one's ability to afford such items, rather than for their practical use or need.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Conspicuous consumption emerged as a prominent feature of the American social landscape in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as industrialization and economic growth led to the rise of a new wealthy class.
2. The concept of conspicuous consumption was famously articulated by the economist Thorstein Veblen in his 1899 book 'The Theory of the Leisure Class', where he analyzed the behavior of the American upper class.
3. Conspicuous consumption was a means for the new wealthy class to distinguish themselves from the working class and establish their social status, as they could afford to purchase and display luxury goods.
4. The rise of mass-produced consumer goods and the growth of advertising in the late 19th and early 20th centuries further fueled the desire for conspicuous consumption, as more people could access and aspire to own such items.
5. Conspicuous consumption played a significant role in the development of a new American consumer culture, as the display of wealth and status became an important aspect of social identity and belonging.

Review Questions

• Explain how the concept of conspicuous consumption relates to the emergence of a new social order and class divisions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the United States.
  • The rise of conspicuous consumption was closely tied to the emergence of a new social order and class divisions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the United States. As industrialization and economic growth led to the creation of a new wealthy class, conspicuous consumption became a means for this class to distinguish themselves from the working class and establish their social status. The ability to purchase and display luxury goods, rather than for their practical use, became a way for the wealthy to signal their wealth and power, and to create a visible separation between the upper and lower classes. This contributed to the development of a more rigid class structure and the solidification of class divisions in American society.
• Describe how the concept of conspicuous consumption was reflected in the development of a new American consumer culture during this period.
  • The rise of conspicuous consumption was a key driver in the development of a new American consumer culture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As the new wealthy class sought to display their status through the ownership of luxury goods, the demand for such items increased, leading to the mass production of consumer goods and the growth of advertising. This in turn fueled the desire for more and more conspicuous consumption, as people sought to emulate the consumption patterns of the upper class in an attempt to achieve a similar level of perceived status and prestige. The display of wealth and status through the ownership and use of consumer goods became an important aspect of social identity and belonging, shaping the cultural landscape of the time.
• Analyze how the concept of conspicuous consumption was reflected in the changing thought and writing of the period, and how it contributed to broader social and cultural shifts.
  • The concept of conspicuous consumption was a central theme in the thought and writing of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as intellectuals and social critics grappled with the implications of this new form of consumption. Thorstein Veblen's seminal work, 'The Theory of the Leisure Class,' provided a detailed analysis of the behavior of the American upper class and the ways in which they used conspicuous consumption to assert their social status. This critique of conspicuous consumption and the leisure class helped to shape broader social and cultural debates around the role of wealth, status, and consumption in American society. The growing prominence of conspicuous consumption also influenced the development of new forms of art, literature, and popular culture, as artists and writers sought to reflect and comment on the changing social landscape. Ultimately, the concept of conspicuous consumption was a key factor in the broader cultural shifts that characterized this period of American history.

Related terms

Veblen Goods: Veblen goods are products for which the demand increases as the price increases, due to the goods' ability to signal the owner's wealth and status.

Emulation: The process of imitating the consumption patterns of those in higher social classes in an attempt to achieve a similar level of perceived status and prestige.

Leisure Class: The social class that is able to engage in conspicuous consumption and display their wealth through non-productive activities and the ownership of luxury items.