The Politics of Consumption and Co-Operation: An Overview

Abstract

There has been an emphasis in labour history on production rather than consumption. Consumers can directly influence the mode of consumption by forming co-operatives to control the provision of goods, services and financial services. This paper will review how Australian labour historians have dealt with the politics of consumption, particularly with regard to the forming of co-operatives to control the provision of goods, services and financial services. It will focus on the journal Labour History and general publications in the field. The paper will conclude by reviewing alternative Australian sources for understanding co-operatives.