In his scathing The Theory of the Leisure Class, Thorstein Veblen
produced a landmark study of affluent American society that
exposes, with brilliant ruthlessness, the habits of production and
waste that link invidious business tactics and barbaric social
behavior. Veblen's analysis of the evolutionary process sees greed
as the overriding motive in the modern economy, and with an
impartial gaze he examines the human cost paid when social
institutions exploit the consumption of unessential goods for the
sake of personal profit. Fashion, beauty, animals, sports, the
home, the clergy, scholars--all are assessed for their true
usefulness and found wanting. Indeed, Veblen's critique covers all
aspects of modern life from dress, class, the position of women,
home decoration, industry, business, and sport, to religion,
scholarship, and education. The targets of Veblen's coruscating
satire are as evident today as they were a century ago, and his
book still has the power to shock and enlighten. Martha Banta's
introduction illuminates Veblen's uncompromising arguments as it
highlights the literary force of Veblen's writing and its influence
on later American writers such as Edith Wharton, Henry James, Dos
Passos, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. She also sheds light on his
critique of the plight of women and his evolutionary arguments as
they relate to modern society.
About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has
made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the
globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to
scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of
other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading
authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date
bibliographies for further study, and much more.
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