History Of Consumerism

Consumerism

is the theory that individuals who consume goods and services in large quantities will be better off

In general, consumerism has five main positive elements, including:

• Increases economic output and creates jobs.

• Leads to increases in wealth for companies.

• Promotes competition between companies.

• Allows for a large variety of goods and services.

• Improves the quality of life for people.

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Over-consumption is a waste of resources. Not only will it drain your wallet, it drains the planet of valuable resources like water and trees while the production, shipping, and eventual disposal increases our carbon footprint

​Problems of Consumerism

What factors contributed to consumerism

As a result, many historians consider the emergence of the middle class in Europe and North America as a major contribution to the intensification of consumerism. Because they had higher incomes, they could afford to buy more luxury items and therefore consumed more goods

​While people across many different civilizations and time periods have always purchased and consumed goods, the modern concept of consumerism is best understood to have begun in the late 1600s in Europe

The Spread of Consumerism

The Industrial Revolution also played a major role in the spread of consumerism.  It first began in the 1700s in England and soon spread to many other countries in Europe and North America.  At its heart, industrialization centered on the use of capitalist economic policies that led to the emergence of many different factories and mines.  As a result of the economic freedom of the time period, these factories were able to produce countless number of inventions and products on a mass-scale.

​As a result of the economic freedom of the time period, these factories were able to produce countless number of inventions and products on a mass-scale.  Before the start of the Industrial Revolution, goods were produced in a system referred to as the ‘cottage industry’.  This means that the goods were created on a small scale often in people’s homes.

​This led to consumerism because it created the system in which people could reasonably afford a variety of goods.  As well, the wealth accumulated by the business owners of the time period allowed them the ability to afford many more goods and helped intensify the consumerist societies of the time.

20th Century

​Golden Age

Consumerism further developed in the 20th century.  For example, some people consider the 1950s and 1960s as the ‘golden age of consumerism’.  During this time period, goods became much less expensive and some products were able to sell on a very large scale due to effective marketing campaigns

Another important aspect of consumerism in recent years has been the concept of outsourcing.  In general, outsourcing is when companies in western countries such as the United States and Canada send their manufacturing to other countries such as Mexico and China.  Companies do this to lower the overall cost of wages when developing a product because workers in countries like China and Mexico will work for much smaller wages than similar workers in the United States and Canada.

Negative outlook

Outsourcing as a concept became popular throughout North America and Europe throughout the 1980s and continues still today.  It is a very controversial process because some people view it as positive while others view it as negative.

​Regardless, outsourcing helped to intensify consumerism throughout the world.  First, it kept the cost of many goods low which allowed more mass production and distribution of consumer goods.  Second, it caused other countries, such as China and Mexico, to develop their own consumerist societies which furthered the rate of consumerism on a global scale.