Capitalism, consumerism and democracy in contemporary societies

Abstract

The chapter shows that capitalist economies and their particular forms of production, distribution and consumption have profound effects on the development of democracy. Manifold practices in the spheres of production, distribution and consumption involve complex interrelationships and processes of power. A broad range of work steps are woven into everyday consumer practices, while energy, raw materials, tools and machines are used and consumed in the process. In contrast, the spheres of production (economy) and consumption (lifeworld) have increasingly gone their separate ways over the course of time and are now primarily brokered via anonymous markets. Looking to the future and the socio-ecological transformation of current capitalist societies, any discussion of this topic thus needs to consider both these spheres, the power and governance structures in the markets as well as their ties to democracy and sustainable development. While we view the green economy as the mainstream concept that offers the greatest compromise when it comes to socio-economic change, we also recognize its incapacity to meet the demands of a comprehensive socio-economic transformation and a departure from the dominant “imperial mode of living”.