Pursuing happiness : American consumers in the twentieth century / Stanley Lebergott.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Lebergott, Stanley, author.

Series:

Princeton Legacy Library

Princeton Legacy Library ; 161

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Consumption (Economics)--United States--History--20th century.

Consumption (Economics).

United States--Economic conditions--1918-1945.

United States.

United States--Economic conditions--1945-.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (203 p.)

Edition:

Course Book

Other Title:

Pursuing happiness : American consumers in the 20th century

Place of Publication:

Princeton, New Jersey : Princeton University Press, [1993]

Language Note:

In English.

Summary:

Whether watching baseball or undergoing heart surgery, Americans have bought a variety of goods and services to achieve happiness. Here is a provocative look at what they have chosen to purchase. Stanley Lebergott maintains that the average consumer has behaved more reasonably than many distinguished critics of "materialism" have suggested. He sees consumers seeking to make an uncertain and often cruel world into a pleasanter and more convenient place--and, for the most part, succeeding. With refreshing common sense, he reminds us of what many "luxuries" have meant, especially for women: increased income since 1900 has been used largely to lighten the backbreaking labor once required by household chores.Originally published in 1993.The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Content

LIST OF TABLES & FIGURE

Preface

PART I: ECONOMIC WELL-BEING

PART II: MAJOR TRENDS, 1900-1990

Appendix A: Personal Consumption Table

Appendix B: Estimating Details

WORKS CITED

INDEX

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references (pages [171]-185) and index.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 08. Jul 2019)

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

1-4008-6326-0

OCLC:

884012746