Part I - Savage Culture

I'm going to do my best to share some of the interesting parts of Thorstein Veblen's book, The Theory of the Leisure Class:  An Economic Study of Institutions. 

Though I'm interested in economics, I can't pretend to know much about the subject.  I tended to read Veblen's book more as pertaining to social history and it was fascinating.  I hope to convey some of his observations with a slightly simpler style of writing than his.   That said, some of his ideas are best stated in his own unique words.

Veblen begins by saying that the best-developed tradition of having a leisure class is at what he calls the higher stages of the barbarian culture.   He refers to a previously existing 'savage' stage of culture which was more peaceful and less materialistic, characterised less by private ownership and more communal use of property; also in which there was not such a fine distinction in who did what work.  Other characteristics of the savage culture are that they are more dutiful toward the survival of the group, a feature Veblen labels 'workmanship' and they they have an 'amiable inefficiency when faced with force or fraud.'  The savage culture is used as a contrast to the barbarian; the key feature of 'barbarian culture' is that it is hierarchical and war-like.

Veblen says that in the savage community, 'workmanship' is aimed at the well-being of the society, a sort of social conscience or need to be useful. When the society becomes predatory, this all changes.

In my next post on this topic, I will talk about some of Veblen's favourite terms, words that he used with different meanings than I usually understand them to have.

Part II - Veblen's Definitions

Part III - Barbarian Culture

Part IV - Leisure Class and Ownership

Part V - Invidious Distinction and Self Esteem

Part VI - How much is Enough?

Part VII - Leisure vs Labor

Part VIII - Leisurely Occupations

Part IX - The Importance of Good Manners

Part X - On Bearing

Part XI - On Wives and Servants

Part XII - Vicarious Leisure

Part XIII - Domestic Servants and 'Modern' Life

Part XIV - Unproductive Consumption

Part XV - The Purpose of Parties

Part XVI - The Purpose of Uniforms

Part XVII - The Middle Class Wife

Part XVIII - Conspicuous Consumption

Part XIX - The Good That Comes of Gossip

Part XX - Conspicuous Waste vs Workmanship

Part XXI - Aping the Upper Class

Part XXII - Instinct, Industry and Privacy

Part XXIII - Birth, Waste and Academia

Part XXIV - Honour of Thieves

Part XXV - Devotional Fitness

Part XXVI - Perception of Beauty

Part XXVII - Beautiful Animals and Women

Part XXVIII - On Candlelight, Classicism and Curiosity

Part XXIX -  Conspicuosity of Dress

Part XXX - More Conspicuosity of Clothing

Part XXXI - Conspicuous Novelty

Part XXXII - Leisure Class and Conservatism

Part XXXIII - The Vulgarity of Innovation

Part XXXIV - The Lower Class and Conservatism


Part XXXV - Business and the Leisure Class 

Part XXXVI - About Blondes 

Part XXXVII - The Diligence Dichotomy 

Part XXXVIII - Modern Economic Institutions


Part XXXIX - War and the Leisure Class

Part XL - Duels and the Leisure Class

Part XLI - Sport and Slang

Part XLII - Walking Sticks

Part XLIII - The Belief in Luck

Part XLIV - Relating to Religion

Part XLV - Gambling, Sports and Religion

Part XLVI - A Different Twist on Holidays

Part XLVII - Religion and the Military

Part XLVIII - The End of Religion

Part XLIX - A Kinder Society

Part L - 'Assisting' the Lower Classes

Part LI - Emancipation from Privilege and Futility

Part LII - Decline of the Leisure Class

Part LIII - Higher Education and the Occult

Part LIV - Rituals, War and Women

Part LV - Classicism and Conservatism in Higher Education