Leisure class

Abstract

This term became popular after Thorstein Veblen’s book, The Theory of the Leisure Class (1899). In that book the author gives a historical and socio-economic explanation of the development of that wealthy class in the society of his time whose main characteristic was leisure. By leisure Veblen means the non-productive spending of time which originates from a sense of the worthlessness of productive work and from the need to show pecuniary ability to afford a life of idleness. The basic social categories of Veblen’s theory of the leisure class are pecuniary competition, conspicuous leisure and conspicuous consumption.