− | The '''consumer economy''' is that portion of the overall economic system that is dependent on individual or household consumer expenditures. Goods that embody the consumer economy would include [[food]], clothing, housing, [[furniture]], appliances, [[automobile]]s, etc.; while services that comprise the consumer economy would include [[restaurant]]s, hospital care, personal [[bank]]ing, commercial airlines, etc. Thus, the consumer economy is distinct from (yet related to) the industrial economy which emphasizes trade between corporations (investment banking, industrial machinery, [[chemical]]s, etc.), and the public sector which involves the delivery of governmental services (bridges and roads, sewer, public education, etc.). The consumer economy began to expand exponentially in the early- to mid-20th century. It has been said that two-thirds of jobs in the [[Directory:United States|United States]] are now tied either directly or indirectly to the consumer economy.<ref>''[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0670887366?ie=UTF8&tag=mywikibizcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0670887366 The Support Economy: Why Corporations Are Failing Individuals and The Next Episode of Capitalism]'', Shoshana Zuboff & James Maxmin, [http://books.google.com/books?id=pn-7AAAAIAAJ&q=%22in+the+US+economy+were+directly+or+indirectly+dependent+upon+consumer+expenditures+making+consumers+responsible%22&dq=%22in+the+US+economy+were+directly+or+indirectly+dependent+upon+consumer+expenditures+making+consumers+responsible%22&lr=&ei=jtQCS6ubM5zGNfqnzNoO pg. 8].</ref> | + | The '''consumer economy''' is that portion of the overall economic system that is dependent on individual or household consumer expenditures. Goods that embody the consumer economy would include [[food]], clothing, housing, [[furniture]], appliances, [[automobile]]s, etc.; while services that comprise the consumer economy would include [[restaurant]]s, hospital care, personal [[bank]]ing, commercial airlines, etc. Thus, the consumer economy is distinct from (yet related to) the industrial economy which emphasizes trade between corporations (investment banking, industrial machinery, [[chemical]]s, etc.), and the public sector which involves the delivery of governmental services (bridges and roads, sewer, public education, etc.). |