Do Americans Shop Too Much? Paperback by Juliet Schor

Product Details

• Publisher: Beacon Press (2000-04-24)
• Language: English
• Paperback: 118 pages
• ISBN-13: 9780807004432
• Item Weight: 136.08 grams
• Dimensions: 20.32 x 13.67 x 0.79 cm

Juliet Schor breaks a taboo by exposing Americans' shopping habits to moral society. Schor disapproves of unfettered private consumption, not only because we already use up so much, but also because overspending to bolster a sense of self does not lead to happiness. Along with her critique, Schor suggests intriguing ideas for making 'status' goods accessible for all--for example, imposing high taxes on expensive items to subsidize lines of affordable 'luxury' goods. A firestorm of responses follow from economist Robert Frank and others.

The New Democracy Forum is a series of short paperback originals exploring creative solutions to our most urgent national concerns.

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About the Author

Author of The Overworked American and The Overspent American, Juliet Schor is professor of economics at Harvard University.