Abstract
Consumerism, conspicuous consumption and high mass consumption among the privileged class and status- and power-wielding groups were predicted by the critiques as well as protagonists of emerging capitalist economies during the 19th century and post-World War II period, respectively. The privileged class and its allies with expensive lifestyles indulged in widespread normative consumption of high-value consumer goods, which extended beyond all their basic needs. The 21st century under the impact of LPG is witnessing rapid growth of a consumer culture in societies, once termed as traditional and slow. A recent statement of India’s finance minister that 24×7 shopping would lead to economic growth of the country itself indicates how even the state along with corporate sector promotes consumer culture. The book under review, while reaffirming consumerism characterised by conspicuous consumption, asserts that ‘consumerism is developing as an ideology—integral to thought and practice even in unimagined locales across the globe’. It argues, ‘India is just not a consumer market’ but predicts ‘India as a consumer society in the making, world’s largest consumer economy by 2025’.
The compilation comprising ten scholarly articles with considerable conceptual and theoretical inputs analyses the trajectory of development of consumer culture not only in the economically developed United States of America, France and India but also in a poor economy such as Nepal. The logically sequenced research-based narratives besides reflecting on the dimensions of consumerism in rich and poor economies also examine the consciously evolved strategies and pedagogies making sufficient grounds to generalise ‘consumerism as an ideology’. The intensive literature analysis provides enough empirical evidence to carry forward the editor’s assertion. Each article lays emphasis on exclusive dimensions and causes of fast-spreading consumerism. All the contributions, in a direct and an indirect manner, reveal consumerism is no longer confined to a class but forms part of everyday life of all (Kaur). The strategies, like the much-hyped market, promote cultural consumption (Khan). The markets flooded with expressive and symbolic brand identities transcend the instrumental dimensions of products (Sinha), and thereby reveal consumption beyond need. Consequently, even the once cornered traditional cultural symbolism is revived to cater to the market-induced tastes of the modern, neo-rich and commoner.
The example of Fabindia is an appropriate articulation reflecting upon consumerism as a culture. The intensified marketing strategies promote products as peoples’ needs, a source of need gratification through an individual’s cultural expressions (Narasimhan). While such cultural expressions may be construed as part of the day-to-day way of life of people, to prove them as real expressions perhaps may not be possible. However, in the process of developing consumerism as an ideology, as found in the case of Nepal (Thapa), foreign cultural influences are accorded legitimacy in all walks of life by the people even living on the edge, on streets. In this way, the locals not only adopt and adapt an alien culture but also intensify its consumption.
Making consumerism a social identity, Ahmad suggests the use of strategic vehicles, such as electronic media, that follow the ‘logic of hyper-real’ which are expected to create and recreate, assert and reassert hegemonic identities. The televised family comedies, perhaps, form part of the planned politics of identity construction and reconstruction. The vast viewership of such comedies is nothing but a reflection of production, reproduction and consumption of specific culture and ideologies. The new television with 24×7 telecast caters not only to the domestic but also to people living in other parts of the world with interest in Indian culture. The definite outcome is capitalisation of specific specialised services, especially such as health, offered at a low price to foreign-based consumers with high purchasing power. However, the costs remain high for local population with relatively lower incomes (Askray and Afshan), thereby resulting in exclusion of the locals unable to afford the services.
Interestingly, consumerism acts as a dual system—exclusion in inclusion. The traditional tribal art, once discarded in an expanding market, is part of elite culture. The tribal art and artists are included in the market-induced production but excluded when it comes to their sale with the intent to maximise profits. The profits from sales are appropriated by the elite (Dwivedi). The resultant alienation of the marginal further excludes them from sustained and meaningful participation in the productive activities. The mover behind the entire process is capitalism (Chauhan and Chandra), which even causes deviation in the revolutionary movements. It is in fact the rationally organised politics of consumerism which restricts the desired transformation through diversion. Finally, the inference, a Marxist position, concludes that capitalism creates a divide between being and appropriation for having (Pathak). It is argued that a materialist culture creates the conditions which in a capitalist market-driven society enthuse accumulation, buying and possessing, unmindful of the loss of being.
A critique of consumer culture, in the backdrop of the fact that consumerism is a product of capitalist development all over the world, the book spells out the stark reality of the contemporary Indian society. The operation of capitalism seduces masses, drives economy towards maximisation of profits, enthuses in people’s consciousness an ideology of consumption, which in a world with unequal distribution of wealth result in exploitation and extortion through institutional mechanisms.