The Theory of the Leisure Class: An Economic Study of InstitutionsIn The Theory Of The Leisure Class, His First And Best-Known Work, Thorstein Veblen Challenges Some Of Man S Most Cherished Standards Of Behavior And With Devastating Wit And Satire Exposes The Hollowness Of Many Of Our Canons Of Taste, Education, Dress And Culture. Veblen Uses The Leisure Class As His Example Because It Is This Class That Sets The Standards Followed By Every Level Of Society.The Sign Of Membership In The Leisure Class Is Exemption From Industrial Toil And The Mark Of Success Is Lavish Expenditure Conspicuous Consumption Is The Famous Term He Invented To Describe Spending Which Satisfies No Real Need But Is A Mark Of Prestige.The Process Veblen Criticized Continues Today The Same Worship Of An Empty Scale Of Values, The Same Urge To Prove Oneself Better Than One S Neighbor By The Conspicuous Accumulation Of Useless Objects And By Time And Money-Wasting Activities. |
Contents
Introductory | 1 |
Pecuniary Emulation | 17 |
Conspicuous Leisure | 27 |
Conspicuous Consumption | 52 |
The Pecuniary Standard of Living | 77 |
Pecuniary Canons of Taste | 87 |
Dress as an Expression of the Pecuniary Culture | 126 |
Industrial Exemption and Conservatism | 142 |
The Conservation of Archaic Traits | 160 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
accepted activity acts appreciable aptitudes archaic barbarian beauty become body canons character circumstances commonly consequence consistently conspicuous conspicuous waste consumer consumption course culture devout direction distinction dominant dress earlier economic effect efficiency effort element employments emulation especially evidence expenditure expensiveness expression fact force further given ground growth habits of thought hand higher honorific human immediate individual industrial instinct institutions interest invidious kind labor later learning least leisure class less living lower manner marks material matter means measure methods mind motive nature objects observances organizations pecuniary persons population possession predatory present productive propensity question regards relation relatively reputability respect result scheme selective sense servants serve shaping social spiritual stage standard status substantial taken taste temperament theory things traits true Veblen vicarious vogue waste wealth women