53 pages 1 hour read

Thorstein Veblen

The Theory of the Leisure Class: An Economic Study of Institutions

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1899

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Essay Topics

1.

Define and explain what sets apart the leisure class from the industrial class. According to Veblen, how does a society become stratified into a leisure class and an industrial class?

2.

What is “decent” consumption and how does it differ from conspicuous consumption? How does decent consumption impact a person’s economic decisions?

3.

Veblen refers to the American Civil War as a force that promoted a trend toward conservatism in the South. What are Veblen’s views on American slavery and emancipation? How does he relate slavery to the culture of conspicuous consumption?