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Thorstein Veblen's groundbreaking treatise upon the evolution of
the affluent classes of society traces the development of
conspicuous consumption from the feudal Middle Ages to the end of
the 19th century. Beginning with the end of the Dark Ages, Veblen
examines the evolution of the hierarchical social structures. How
they incrementally evolved and influenced the overall picture of
human society is discussed. Veblen believed that the human social
order was immensely unequal and stratified, to the point where vast
amounts of merit are consequently ignored and wasted. Veblen draws
comparisons between industrialization and the advancement of
production and the exploitation and domination of labor, which he
considered analogous to a barbarian conquest happening from within
society. The heavier and harder labor falls to the lower members of
the order, while the light work is accomplished by the owners of
capital: the leisure class.
Thorstein Veblen was once described by Fortune magazine as
"America's most brilliant and influential critic of modern business
and the values of a business civilization," and his wisdom and
often dryly satiric wit continues to be obvious today. In The
Theory of the Leisure Class, first published in 1899, he coined the
phrase "conspicuous consumption" as a critique of the rampant and
ostentatious consumerism of his day. Readers a century on will see
that the world in which we live today has little changed. In this
classic of economic theory, Veblen blasts the superficiality and
wastefulness of conspicuous consumption, but also delves into an
incisive exploration of the social functions of consumption and how
the concepts of property and class work in tandem. Anyone seeking
to understand the foundations of modern economic civilization will
be enlightened-and entertained-by this work. American economist and
sociologist THORSTEIN BUNDE VEBLEN (1857-1929) was educated at
Carleton College, Johns Hopkins University and Yale University.
Among his most famous works are The Theory of Business Enterprise
(1904) and Imperial Germany and the Industrial Revolution (1915).
At the time of its initial publication in 1904, The Higher Learning
in America was known in educated circles as the most reflective
study ever made of the university system in America. Veblen's
evaluation of the misleading notions and erroneous beliefs were
inherent in "the higher learning" was received as fair by most
academics. As a result, many believed he paved the way to an
improved age in college education. Just as applicable today as they
were decades ago, his sophisticated style remains deprecatingly
amusing; his biting critique just as disquieting as it was at the
turn of the 19th century. The Higher Learning in America remains a
penetrating book by one of America's greatest social critics.
American economist and sociologist THORSTEIN BUNDE VEBLEN
(1857-1929) was educated at Carleton College, Johns Hopkins
University and Yale University. He coined the phrase "conspicuous
consumption." Among his most famous works are The Theory of the
Leisure Class (1899), The Theory of Business Enterprise (1904), and
Imperial Germany and the Industrial Revolution (1915).
This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy
Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive
selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to
reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional
imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor
pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues
beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we
have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting,
preserving and promoting the world's literature.
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