Rise of the Consumer Society in Britain 1880-1980, The

Contains three main parts (Context; Changes; and Consequences) which cover topics such as: changes in demand and supply; shopping; tourism; sport; consolidation of national idenity; the creation of youth culture; the emancipation of women; and the defusion of class tension.

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Britain today is thought of as a "consumer society", but how and when did this consumer revolution happen? Although the issues of consumption, consumers and consumer society are often used as a means of explaining and describing the nature of modern British society, their origins remain both neglected and controversial. This book aims to fill this gap by examining the causes, course and consequences of the changes in consumption which have occurred over the last 100 years. It examines the changes in the demand and supply of goods and services since 1880; and explores the changes in three representative sectors of the economy: shopping, tourism and sport. It also considers the impact on a number of key issues for modern Britain - the consolidation of national identity, the creation of a youth culture, the emancipation of women, and the diffusion of class tension.