The eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries experienced drastic changes in the American retail landscape that have shaped the history of America to where it is today. The rise of consumerism in the 1880s had a significant impact on the major social aspects of the American society. William Leach’s book, Land of Desire: Merchants, Power, and the Rise of a New American Culture, accounts for the transformation of America from the 1880s into a consumer nation that desires comfort, physical wellbeing, and an insatiable acquisition. On the other hand, Paul Fussell’s book titled, Class: A Guide through the American Status System, analyzes the American society in terms of how they do their things, how they say things as well as what they own, and asserts that all these reflect their social status.
According to Leach, the consumer behavior of the Americans did not reflect social changes silently but rather evoked progressive changes that transformed the American social landscape forever. Besides, many other activities occurred on both economic and political arenas that shaped the social relations in America and consequently led to the social changes that were evident during that time and those which echo into the contemporary America society in the 21st century. This paper will compare how the rising trend of new departmental store retailers such as Macy’s from William Leach’s book remade social relations and the rise of new discount stores like Kmart affected class status in society.
Impact of Consumerism on Race
The introduction of new retailers, legalization of new laws, and the introduction of new residential places led to worsened social relations along the lines of race. A case in reference is the legalization of Jim Crow’s laws that advocated for segregation along racial lines. From a general stance, these laws favored the white Americans at the expense of the African Americans. It is important to note that this legislation came after the reconstruction period when the blacks had regained a relief on racial inequality. The reintroduction of these laws in the context of consumerism worsened the existing social relations between the Americans, that is the whites and the blacks. It was a major setback to racial equality in America and ruined the previous efforts of critical anti-racist icons like W. E. B. Du Bois.
In Fussell’s Class, he argues that race is visible but individuals cannot choose it, and it just happens. On the other hand, politics and religion are invisible, but a person can choose them. In further clarification of his claims, he asserts that people are born into their races, and it is beyond them to change it. It is the same with gender, and it cannot be changed until recently when people can make a choice to change their sexual orientation through surgeries. Along with this line of argument, he defines the class as visible and audible.
A deeper look into these contexts also shows that before consumerism, the American Society was already divided along racial lines. There were distinct residential areas and States that were for whites and in which the blacks were not allowed. There were also laws both written and unwritten (those embedded in the American culture) that spelled out zones, shopping centers, residential areas, and schools among others that were specifically for the whites and did not welcome the nonwhites. The discussion is clear that racism existed long before the rise of consumerism and that consumption of the Americans pushed for more social changes that forced the social relations in America further from achieving harmony.
Racial inequality is evident in all aspects of the consumerism period in the precepts of Leach’s book. The advertising strategies used by various department stores aimed to attract and idolize the affluent and in most cases were the whites. For instance, the use of lights and color targeted the wealthy, who were potential consumers of the goods displayed. As quoted from his text, “…pickle in green bulbs at Madison Square in 1900 to illuminated Roman chariot race…” It is evident that even the have-nots saw the adverts, but it was not necessary for people in business because their purpose was to persuade the haves to buy the goods. Besides, the owners of these merchandises at that time were mostly white while the blacks were laborers who could not afford the things they produced or sold. Along with this line of thought, it was an injustice constructed by history and will have far-fetching impacts in the future. One would imagine that if an equal opportunity were viable to all Americans from the beginning, things would have been different and racial inequality would be unheard of in American history. The reality is that it exists and while authors can only point it out to make historical relevance, it does not change anything. It only creates an understanding of where America has come from and what important historical events it reckons. While Macy’s and Kmart influenced the modern shopping malls, they are also evident for redefining the economic and social gaps that exist in the contemporary society.
According to Leach (2011), retailers focused on maintaining wealthy patrons and providing easier repayment plans such as installments to attract a broader client base. It shows that American consumption shaped businesses and the products manufactured. Therefore, production targeted the desires of the consumers. In this regard, the focus was on those who had the power to buy, and it ended up leaving gaps in the market regarding the clientele comprising the have-nots. Following the reconstruction period, these consumption behaviors worsened the social relations between the rich and the poor, which are synonymous with the whites and the blacks respectively. As Fussell’s class assert, “How many classes are there? The simplest answer is that there are only two, the rich and the poor”
Besides, factors such as inherited status could bring social constraints to individuals at the two racial extremes. Fussell supports this claim in his quote on America as, “a tradition of honors conferred by a monarch and with no well know status ladder.” For instance, being born black or white in America confers some status that was given to each race since time immemorial. Though people do not choose their race, they find themselves in these fixes and could evoke despair and bitterness. Race is a social contract, social reality and social power. Therefore, history had influenced consumerism to create similar incidences that accord the whites more privileges than the blacks had when it came to accessing the finest things in the society at the time. Consequently, it was apparent that most white people held higher statuses than their black counterparts as seen from department stores having mainly white customers and clerks. It is possible that it is this despair that advocated for race equality during the Reconstruction period and worsened the same after the Jim Crow laws, which left the blacks on the receiving end.
Impact of Consumerism on Social Class
The definition of status is complex in the American context. Fussell’s Class argues that the society lacks a proper matrix of creating titles that can withstand the turbulent changes over many generations. As directly quoted from his book, “Americans sense that they live within an extremely complicated system of social classes…” The challenge is that each generation defines its hierarchies and as a result, it is not easy to gauge an individual social standing in America. The world was defined by what you could buy and with the liberation of the cash economy, and concepts such as of who were gentlemen was made unclear. A true gentleman was defined by not having to work at all, whereas others such as B-Hoys strived to live a clean life like a gentlemen and listened to the bosses only at work. The volatility of American class emanated from the fast-changing social landscape in the society hence making it impossible to define hierarchies that could remain constant over a given period.
On the other hand, consumerism led to affluence, motivated the invention and production of new technology and consumer goods at low costs. In Leach’s Land of Desire view, the impact of consumerism was a product of technology, affluence, and population. Further, the birth of consumerism set America on for social, economic and political turmoil. Following on this argument, social class speaks for itself. When one looks at the other person, you cannot see if they are republican or Roman Catholic. However, when you look at an individual, you will see what they are wearing. For instance and quoting from the period in context, the hand-printed necktie, designer shoes, watches and even polyester shirts are all indicators or rather symbols of class.
Along with this line of thought, one can tell if the person is of high social standing, middle or low social status in the society. Viewing Fussell in the context of Leach, it is the ability of an individual to acquire these status symbols that defines who they are in their community. These factors inextricably relate in that, one’s ability to spend depends on their income level and their location regarding residence.
The social landscape brought urban and rural consumption closer and there were a lot of innovative retailing being brought to the countryside by Ward. By using trains to bring city goods to rural customers through the use of catalogs, the farmers and rural middle class was able to consume like the urban wealthy elite. Also, the introduction of credit allowed a larger middle class to emerge and have access and participate in this new retail landscape. The increase in competition for customers for department stores such as Macy’s reflected how the divide between the classes was reduced and middle-class to wealthy lifestyle was more within reach. The standard of living improved for everyone as a whole.
Moreover, seen in the rise of discount stores such as K-Mart, there became a new way of shopping and interacting with goods compared with department stores. With discount stores, customers can freely enter, browse and touch goods. Customers did not have to dress up, be served and there were more flexible hours. This concept of shopping appealed to and captured a wide amount of market and thus blurred the class status as both the upper, middle and low class are able to enter. A thorough scrutiny of this situation shows that America is constantly under the influence from the outside world regarding immigrants and business people. As they find their position in the American society, they also transmit some of the social aspects from their home yard. Fussell’s Class asserts that the greatest rewards in life are esteem of others and the knowledge that others admire you. These are natural wants just like hunger. Besides, Americans struggle to earn self-respect and social approval from others.
However, social status in America is a woven fabric of many factors that are in constant change. It is an eternal struggle in a world where everybody wants to be somebody, and nobody wants to be anybody. With the rise of new retailers such as department stores and the making of ready to wear suits for example, working-class people were able to emulate the elite in terms of clothing, and hoping to strengthen their social status. Department stores became a significant part of public space and with the employment of women clerks at Macy’s, a greater amount of women were empowered. Further, this perception seems to augur well with Leach’s Land of Desire on consumerism in that, in the strive to becomes somebody, people will spend the resources they have to acquires symbols that will elevate them to the level where they think others perceive them as important individuals in the society.
Consumerism changed the social class scene and increased class mobility in America. According to Fussell’s Class, the American social class system has not taken any form. It is liquid in nature and takes different shapes based on various factors, which are difficult to determine at the outset. In his view, the American class is vulnerable because it does not depend on specific parameters. Following this line of thought, it is available to everyone, and anyone can get the status of choice. He notes hazards that pertain to this kind of status are envy and disappointment. In expounding of this fact, Fussell poses that the real myth is that anyone can make his or her way up the American class ladder. There was a revolution in the powers of the market, where cash and consumption became more influential and anonymous. In the past, while men were able to have access to greater choices in consumption, women were presented with even fewer alternatives, having limited work opportunities such as in sweatshops. It is, therefore, likely to bring bitterness and disillusionment when is not possible to achieve the desired status.
Conclusion
A critical look at consumerism shows that it had positive impacts on the American history. Consumption led to liberation, domination and capitalism at the most basic level, and shaped nearly all aspects of modern life. It led to modernity, which in turn led to business regulation. As a result, product prices and quality were controlled hence protecting consumers from exploitation. According to Leach, these rules based on people’s principles on what is right and what is wrong as well as their values and priorities. Leach’s work serves as a founding stone for other philosophies that linked moral good with economic wellbeing. It is because what people valued as good was also good for the economy. Besides, the introduction of department stores and discount stores combined their powers to control and influence corporations and the marketplace. However, Leach is emphatic that all these forces were necessary to create a culture that valued money and injected the desire of the consumers. A further control was required to achieve the expected results though it was unplanned. For instance, distribution channels control removed jobbers and sold directly to the consumers. In return, it replaced most of the outdated systems. Further, the money system collapsed driving the American economy into the great depression.
Overall, the aspects of racial and social equality are complex. It is because individual perceptions on these differ from time to time. Though the law makes all Americans equal, consumption defined us at the most personal level and it is clear that inequality will continue to take charge in all spheres of life and will continue to impact on social relations in the contemporary America and generations to come.