Collective Consumption

“Collective consumption” involves people consuming (using up) services (and some goods) that are particularly subject to political and state influence because their costs are partly socialized through government subsidies; or their provision is specially regulated to foster social equality; or government agencies organize service provision. In the 1980s, some theorists argued that collective consumption processes uniquely define the scope of urban studies within highly urbanized, industrial societies. This argument was rejected as overly restrictive from the 1990s on. Some older, more direct forms of collective consumption such as public housing also declined in importance. However, the concept has come back into focus under “austerity” economic policies. Collective consumption services remain centrally important to urban politics.