2. A POLITICAL THEORY OF CONSUMPTION

Abstract

Consumption is a new central issue, globally, driven by more visible consumption concerns of citizens. For instance, entertainment and the environment rise as political issues, while workplace issues decline. To link individual choice with public and urban context, we outline a theory of consumption in specific propositions. They start with individual and personal influence characteristics in shopping and political decisions, then add socio/cultural characteristics. Three cultural types adapted from Elazar are Moralistic, Individualistic, and Traditional – which shift individual patterns. For instance moralistic persons favor more environmentally sensitive consumption, even boycotting cars, TV, and paper towels, backing green groups and parties. Such protest acts via personal consumption are ignored by many past theories. Individualists instead favor more conspicuous, status-oriented consumption, à la Veblen, or the modernism of Baudelaire and Benjamin. For traditionalists, consumption reinforces the past, via family antiques and homes, ritualized and less individualized. The three types help interpret differences in consumption politics by participants in different social movements, cities, and countries.

Citation

Nichols Clark, T. (2003), "2. A POLITICAL THEORY OF CONSUMPTION", Nichols Clark, T. (Ed.) The City as an Entertainment Machine (Research in Urban Policy, Vol. 9), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 19-102. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1479-3520(03)09002-0