Political consumption
Political consumption is a technical term in German-speaking political science that was derived from the English technical term political consumerism . It describes a specific behavior of consumers, which is characterized by a stable, long-term and conscious motivation and aims to actively influence the economy , society and / or politics . This public interest distinguishes political from individual consumption with its exclusively private interests.
“Political” consumer behavior can be understood to mean both the purchase of certain products and services (“buycott”) and the decision not to purchase (“boycott”).
The terms political and ethical consumption are often used synonymously in business literature. In this subject area, the two terms highlight two different characteristics of the same form of consumer behavior. The term “ethical consumption” emphasizes the causal motivation (e.g. conscience decision), while “political consumption” emphasizes the final motivation (e.g. effects of consumer behavior).
For the US context, Lawrence Glickman (2004) suggests understanding the free produce movement as one of the essential historical germs of political consumption movements .
Political consumption as a form of participation
Political consumption can be understood as a form of political participation if a broad definition of political participation is used. For this z. B. the definition of the political scientist Günter D. Radtke. According to this, participation is “any mental or behavioral preoccupation with politics”.
Political consumption as a form of participation should sensibly not be understood as a substitute for conventional forms of participation, but rather as an addition to the repertoire of opportunities for participation. As such, it is characterized by the following properties: It is legal, unbureaucratic and individualized. Furthermore, it is perceived as legitimate and also relatively unconventional in social discourse.
Political consumption in society
Political consumption is a phenomenon that is becoming increasingly important in western (post-materialistic) affluent societies. Especially in recent years z. For example, the BSE cases from 2000 in Germany or the increasing explosiveness of environmental and climate issues (e.g. in 2007 due to the much-discussed fourth status report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ) further increased the relevance of political consumption. It must be noted, however, that the individual, financial leeway for cost-intensive, political consumer decisions is limited for many citizens. In this respect, financial resources form an essential basis for political consumer behavior.
The actors
The interests of companies and consumers are interrelated: on the one hand, companies try to enhance their products through an (often) moral or ethical component and thereby motivate consumers to buy, on the other hand, consumers see companies more and more often as political actors, who are responsible for political and social development. Citizens' groups and NGOs play a key role in influencing companies.
Political science research takes up political consumption as a phenomenon only very hesitantly and the state of research can therefore be described as still inadequate.
See also
literature
- Stefan Hoffmann: Boycott participation. Gabler, Wiesbaden 2008, ISBN 978-3834914354 .
- Eivind Jacobsen, Arne Dulsrud: Will consumers save the world? The framing of political consumerism. In: Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics. 20, 2007, pp. 469-482.
- Michele Micheletti, Anders Follesdal, Dietlind Stolle (Eds.): Politics, Products, and Markets. Exploring Political Consumerism Past and Present. New Brunswick 2006.
- Herfried Münkler: The competent citizen. In: Ansgar Klein, Rainer Schmalz-Bruns (Hrsg.): Political participation and civic engagement in Germany. Possibilities and limits. Baden-Baden 1997, pp. 153-172.
- Michael Neuner: Political Consumption. Essence, manifestations and meaning. In: Economics Studies. Issue 7, 2007, pp. 342-347.
- Dietlind Stolle, Marc Hooghe: Consumers as political participants? Shifts in political action repertoires in Western societies. In: Michele Micheletti, Andreas Follesdal, Dietlind Stolle (eds.): Politics, products, and markets: Exploring political consumerism past and present. Transaction Press, New Brunswick 2004, pp. 265-288.
- Katharina Witterhold: Political Consumers in the Social Web. Practices of mediation between citizen and consumer identity. Transcript, Bielefeld 2017.
Individual evidence
- ↑ cf. Michele Micheletti, Anders Follesdal, Dietlind Stolle: Introduction. In: Michele Micheletti, Anders Follesdal, Dietlind Stolle (Eds.): Politics, Products, and Markets. Exploring Political Consumerism Past and Present. New Brunswick, 2006, p. XIV.
- ↑ cf. Stolle, Hooghe 2004: p. 282.
- ↑ cf. Stolle, Hooghe 2004, p. 280f; Hoffmann 2008, p. 16.
- ↑ cf. Hoffmann, p. 19ff.
- ↑ Lawrence B. Glickman, 'Buy for the Sake of the Slave' Abolitionism and the Origins of American Consumer Activism . In: American Quarterly . 56, No. 4, 2004, ISSN 1080-6490 , pp. 889-912. doi : 10.1353 / aq.2004.0056 .
- ^ Günter D. Radtke: Participation in politics. Determinants of readiness for political participation. An empirical contribution. Leverkusen 1976, p. 16. Quoted from: Oscar W. Gabriel, Kerstin Völkl: Political and social participation. In: Oscar W. Gabriel , Everhard Holtmann (Ed.): Handbook Political System of the Federal Republic of Germany. 3rd completely revised and expanded edition. Munich, Vienna 2005, p. 528.
- ↑ cf. Oscar W. Gabriel, Kerstin Völkl: Political and social participation. In: Oscar W. Gabriel, Everhard Holtmann (Ed.): Handbook Political System of the Federal Republic of Germany. 3rd completely revised and expanded edition. Munich, Vienna 2005, p. 531. See also Stolle, Hooghe 2004, p. 273.
- ↑ cf. Jacobsen, Dulsrud 2007, p. 469.
- ↑ cf. Stolle, Hooghe 2004, p. 277.
- ↑ cf. Stolle, Hooghe 2004, p. 273.
- ↑ cf. Neuner 2007, p. 342.