Consumerism in Twentieth-Century Britain : The Search for a Historical Movement

"This book is the first comprehensive history of consumerism as an organised social and political movement. Matthew Hilton offers a ground-breaking account of consumer movements, ideologies and organisations in twentieth-century Britain. He argues that in organisations such as the Co-operative movement and the Consumers' Association individual concern with what and how we spend our wages led to forms of political engagement too often overlooked in existing accounts of twentieth-century history. He explores how the consumer and consumerism came to be regarded by many as a third force in society with the potential to free politics from the perceived stranglehold of the self-interested actions of employers and trade unions. Finally he recovers the visions of countless consumer activists who saw in consumption a genuine force for liberation for women, the working class and new social movements as well as a set of ideas often deliberately excluded from more established political organisations."--Page 4 de la couverture Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 3 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Dedication......Page 7 Contents......Page 9 Illustrations......Page 11 Acknowledgements......Page 12 Abbreviations......Page 14 Introduction: luxury’s shadow......Page 17 Consumerism: cultural or political phenomenon?......Page 20 Luxury’s shadow......Page 30 Part I Necessity......Page 41 1 Socialism, co-operation, Free Trade and fair trade: the politics of consumption in the nineteenth century......Page 43 Fair trade and Free Trade......Page 46 The Co-operative movement......Page 51 The female consumer......Page 57 The wider politics of consumption......Page 63 2 Revolutionary shoppers: the Consumers’ Council and scarcity in World War One......Page 69 Prices and the fear of industrial unrest......Page 71 Food control......Page 77 The Consumers’ Council......Page 82 Profiteering, socialism and co-operation......Page 90 3 The right to live: consumer ‘ideology’ in inter-war Britain......Page 95 The Co-operative movement......Page 96 The Independent Labour Party and the ‘living wage’......Page 104 Guild socialism and social credit......Page 110 Political and Economic Planning......Page 115 4 The price of depression: consumer politics in inter-war Britain......Page 124 The cost of living......Page 126 The Royal Commission on Food Prices and the Food Council......Page 133 The Consumers’ Council Bills......Page 140 Agricultural Marketing Acts and Boards......Page 145 5 Austerity to affluence: the twilight of the politics of necessity......Page 153 Rationing and the Second World War......Page 155 Consumer representation and the nationalised industries......Page 161 The Consumer Advice Centre......Page 166 Part II Affluence......Page 181 6 The new consumer: good housewives and enlightened businessmen......Page 183 Comparative testing before the Consumers’ Association......Page 187 The consumer as middle-class housewife......Page 194 Business as the champions of the consumer......Page 199 7 The professionals: the origins of the organised consumer movement......Page 210 Motives......Page 213 The ethic of consumerism: a movement without an ideology?......Page 221 The appeal......Page 226 8 Individualism enshrined: the state and the consumer in the 1960s......Page 235 The Molony Committee on Consumer Protection......Page 237 The Consumer Council, 1963–70......Page 244 9 The right to shop: consumerism and the economy......Page 258 Citizens or shoppers: the Consumers’ Association......Page 260 The Office of Fair Trading......Page 273 10 The duty of citizens: consumerism and society......Page 284 Consumerism, the CA and social democracy......Page 286 The National Consumer Council (NCC)......Page 295 11 Affluence or effluence: globalisation and ethical consumerism......Page 314 The global consumer movement......Page 317 Ethical consumerism......Page 330 Conclusion: the quantity or the quality of choice......Page 345 1. ARCHIVAL AND UNPUBLISHED SOURCES......Page 360 2. PRIMARY BOOKS AND ARTICLES......Page 363 3. SECONDARY BOOKS AND ARTICLES......Page 373 Index......Page 387 "This book is the first comprehensive history of consumerism as an organised social and political movement. Matthew Hilton offers a ground-breaking account of consumer movements, ideologies and organisations in twentieth-century Britain. He argues that in organisations such as the Co-operative movement and the Consumers' Association individual concern with what and how we spend our wages led to forms of political engagement too often overlooked in existing accounts of twentieth-century history. He explores how the consumer and consumerism came to be regarded by many as a third force in society with the potential to free politics from the perceived stranglehold of the self-interested actions of employers and trade unions. Finally he recovers the visions of countless consumer activists who saw in consumption a genuine force for liberation for women, the working class and new social movements as well as a set of ideas often deliberately excluded from more established political organisations."--Jacket The first comprehensive history of consumerism as an organized social and political movement, this book explores consumer movements, ideologies and organizations in twentieth-century Britain. It explores the history of organizations such as the Co-operative movement and the Consumers' Association and analyzes the role of the National Consumer Council, the Office of Fair Trading, and international consumer organizations as well as the growth of ethical consumerism. A major contribution to the topic of the role of consumption in modern society, it will be essential reading for historians of twentieth-century Britain. This is the first comprehensive history of consumerism as an organised social and political movement. It explores the history of consumer organisations in twentieth-century Britain and makes a major contribution to an expanding inter-disciplinary discussion of the role of consumption in modern society