{"product_id":"the-theory-of-the-leisure-thorstein-veblen-9781965684689","title":"The Theory of the Leisure Class (Warbler Classics Annotated Edition)","description":"\u003cp\u003eDuring America's Gilded Age, economist Thorstein Veblen published \u003cem\u003eThe Theory of the Leisure Class\u003c\/em\u003e (1899), a critique of the era's new wealth and the behaviors it inspired. Veblen argued that both the old elite and the rising class of industrialists indulged in \"conspicuous consumption\" and \"conspicuous leisure\"-lavish displays of wealth and idleness designed not for utility, but to project status. These practices, Veblen claimed, were inherently wasteful: they diverted resources toward ornamental activities that did little to advance society, encouraging a culture where appearances mattered more than real progress. \u003cem\u003eThe Theory of the Leisure Class\u003c\/em\u003e proved both popular and controversial, becoming a bestseller that financially supported Veblen for years. Its ideas resonated beyond economics: terms like \"conspicuous consumption\" entered common language, and economists still use \"Veblen goods\" to describe items, like luxury cars or designer clothing, whose desirability rises with price. Veblen's influence also played a role in the practical politics of the New Deal era, offering a rationale for policies aimed at redistributing wealth and regulating business. Veblen's influence on John Kenneth Galbraith-another economist who challenged the assumptions of consumer-driven capitalism-is especially notable. This Warbler Classics edition includes a hilarious, scathing critique of Veblen by famous public intellectual and contrarian H. L. Mencken as well as a brief biographical essay on Veblen's life and work.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Thorstein Veblen\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1965684688\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781965684689\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Warbler Classics\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 07\/24\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 248\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.74lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.56d","brand":"Thorstein Veblen","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":47244484280575,"sku":"9781965684689","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_054642cc-f165-4cbd-9714-0b71b6404eb7.jpg?v=1758135853","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/the-theory-of-the-leisure-thorstein-veblen-9781965684689","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}