Consumerism In World History

The desire to acquire luxury goods and leisure services is a basic force in modern life.Consumerism in World Historyexplores both the historical origins and worldwide appeal of this relatively modern phenomenon. Consumerism in World Historydraws on recent research of the consumer experience in the West and Japan, while also examining societies such as Africa, less renowned for consumerism. Raising new issues about change and continuity in Western history and discussing specific societies in World history, the book presents: * Human societies before consumerism and how they have changed * The origins of modern consumerism in western society * Consumerism in Russia, East Asia, Africa and the Islamic Middle East * Contemporary issues and evaluations of consumerism This ground-breaking study is a fascinating exploration of the world in which we live and is compulsive reading for the general reader and students alike.