Consumerism first emerged in the most advanced capitalist countries around 1750 and involved the mass production of goods to be sold to a broad population at low prices. This led to the development of mass consumption by the growing middle and working classes throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Key aspects of consumerism included the commercialization of social spheres like Christmas, the rise of consumer credit, and the development of consumer places such as department stores and shopping malls that encouraged fantasies and aspirations centered around purchasing goods. While consumerism was driven by mass production in its early stages, more flexible production and niche markets catered to multiple consumption-based lifestyles in late modernity.

2. Consumerism seems to us a wholly
natural way of life
But it is not “natural” – it is a relatively
recent social invention
Why did it appear?
What does it involve?
How is it changing now and in the
future?

3. “The cultural dominance, in modern
capitalist societies, of an orientation to
the marketing and consumption of
goods
and services”
(Collins Dictionary
of Sociology)

4. Consumerism IS new
- From about 1750
- In the most advanced capitalist
countries e.g. UK, Holland
Product of the rise of the
capitalist economy
Not just “leisure classes”
– middle classes, then working classes
 EVERY individual is / can be a consumer

5. A “consumer society” - MASS Consumption
High Modernity
Middle classes – from about 1860s
Increasing wealth  more money to
spend on consumer goods
Working classes
Increasing wealth
Higher aspirations
-in USA from 1920s
-in Western Europe from 1945

6. What did the development of MASS
consumption involve?
1) Further development of the
capitalist economy
- Development of production
lines
- Mass production of consumer
goods
- Mass-produced goods are cheap
to make
 Can be sold to a broad mass of
people
 Still make profits for the
company

7. Commercialization of social spheres
Christmas celebrations
- “Traditional” Christmas celebrations
invented c. 1860s
- Gift-giving becomes wholly bound
up with consumer economy
- Some “traditional” Christmas
symbols are invented by advertisers


Christmas “invaded” by
consumerism?
Christmas invented by consumerism

8. 3) Developing social importance of
money
Georg Simmel (1900)
Money is not just a means of
buying things
It encourages a particular way of
seeing the world
-EVERYTHING has a monetary value
-EVERYTHING can be bought and sold

9. The appearance of the “sovereign
consumer”
A new kind of individual
With a new way of thinking
•Someone who is wholly free to
purchase what they please
•They can potentially purchase
ANYTHING (as long as they have
enough money)
•They gain their main pleasure
in life from consuming
Free of all obligations or restrictions
- except to keep on consuming
constantly

10. 4) Development of consumer credit
- Borrowing money to buy goods NOW
- Paying back LATER
- From 1920s (esp. in USA) financial institutions
offer “cheap” loans and credit cards
- Beginning of department store credit facilities

11. 5) Development of consumer places:
Arcades
- From about 1870s
- Passageways with small, exclusive shops
- Covered, lighted, heated, patrolled
The shopping mall –
USA, 1950s onwards

12. The department store
- From about 1870s
Covered, lighted, heated, patrolled
Goods on display – not hidden away
Spectacular window displays
Elaborate décor
 Encourage fantasies & aspirations
Particularly aimed at women
- Female is ‘naturally’ a consumer

13. Late Modernity
Later 20th century
Move away from purely mass
production of goods
More sophisticated technology
-Flexible production
-Rapid design and manufacturing
of new goods
-Specialist goods for niche
markets
 Multiple types of consumer
 Multiple lifestyles

14. Early modernity: beginnings of consumerism
High Modernity: mass consumption / consumerism
Late Modernity: flexible production; away from mass
consumption; multiple consumption-based lifestyles

16. No consumer good has an intrinsic or
‘natural’ meaning
Meanings attached by advertising agencies
e.g. champagne = a celebration
e.g. cigarettes = ‘cool’
e.g. car = individual freedom

17. Advertising agencies
 Attempting to fix meanings
 Attempting to guide
consumer’s thinking
Mostly sub-conscious
 Encouraged to keep consuming

18. Negative views assume:
- Individuals wholly open to manipulation
- Individuals unthinking and uncritical
- Advertising strategies
always work

19. Critical and reflective consumers
Use consumption for their own purposes
Difficult to control

20. Since 1970s:
The rise of global brands

21. Globalization of ‘non-things’
e.g. fast food, cars, watches, credit cards etc.
- Bland & relatively
free of content or meaning
- Easily understood everywhere
 can be consumed anywhere

22. Activities of trans-national corporations
(TNCs) e.g. Coca-Cola, Nike,
McDonalds, etc.
“Coca-colonization”
(Ulf Hannerz)