REM 100 Lecture Notes - Conspicuous Consumption, Resource Consumption, Consumerism
19 Feb 2014
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Document Summary
This has resulted in the affluent western societies utilising resources from every region of the earth. Old-fashioned virtues such as thrift and avoidance of waste have been supplanted by convenience and conspicuous consumption. Consumerism funded by easy access to credit has promoted to sustain economic growth. In europe in the 17th c most people were poor. Life expectancy was about 35 years (less in some countries) Agriculture was based on common lands and tenant farming. In england common lands were gradually transferred to private ownership (enclosure acts) and many farmers began to experiment with new methods of production. More food became available, leading to population increases. However, people were pushed off the land and were unemployed. A crisis was looming in the iron industry due to shortage of wood-derived charcoal. Iron producers learned how to use coal breaking the connection between natural rate of production of biomass fuel and the level of industrial activity.
