Chinese exceptionalism? Conspicuous consumption versus conspicuous frugality among the Chinese middle class

• Main Author: Zhang, Weiwei
• Language: en_US
• Published: Boston University 2018
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/2144/31631

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston University === PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at [e-mail]. Thank you. === After the opening-up policy in 1978, China's economy grew rapidly. By 2011, due to its relentless double-digit annual growth, China overtook Japan and became the second largest economy in the world. Meanwhile, China has entered into the consumer era. This dissertation examines to what extent the globalization of consumerism results in a homogenization of spending habits in different locations despite diverse cultural traditions and variable levels of economic development. The research investigates attitudes and behavior concerning consumption among the Chinese new middle class in Beijing, one of the global cities of China, to explore whether Western consumption theories apply to Chinese society and, further, to anticipate the possible trajectories of China's consumption patterns in the future. The dissertation seeks to answer the following questions: 1) Has Confucianism had a significant impact on the consumption patterns of the people in China? 2) Do unique Chinese cultural characteristics, such as face and guanxi, also affect consumption practices? 3) Has the legacy of the Cultural Revolution continued to influence the older middle classes' material consumption? 4) How does the older generation pass on their views about consumption to their offspring and influence their children's consumption patterns? 5) Will China follow the same trajectories as most developed countries and, if not, what mechanisms will drive it along a different historical path? 6) Do Bourdieu's three important concepts-cultural capital, habitus, and field apply in the Chinese context? My analysis draws on qualitative interviews with 50 middle class respondents in Beijing, supplemented by ethnographic observations of their purchasing behavior. Further evidence is derived from an analysis of newspaper articles and academic scholarship relevant to the study. I find that although consumption in all areas of Chinese life has increased rapidly since the 1980s, China does not appear to be following the Western consumption model because of its unique institutions, a different culture, and practices like face and guanxi. In addition, although Bourdieu's theory has some value when describing Chinese consumption practices, his approach also needs to be revised to meet the unique character of Chinese society. === 2031-01-01