Page 312 - The ISA Handbook in Contemporary Sociology

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POLITICAL CONSUMERISM 283

(Goodman and Goodman, 2001: 104). The Goodman (2001), the accent is on the possi-
example of certification of consumer prod- bility of political change, treating the alterna-
ucts (organic or fair trade labelling) is essen- tive systems of production and consumerism
tial here. This labelling reproduces the as counter-hegemonic elements of defiance,
capitalist logic of differentiating among a refusal to participate in a system of produc-
products and increasing the number of prod- tion and consumption that, for a number of
ucts offered, by using a logo guaranteeing reasons, is judged to be socially unjust, risky
certain product characteristics, a logo that in terms of health and destructive of the envi-
acts like a brand name and should inspire ronment. Dubuisson-Quellier and Lamine
confidence. Organic products or fair trade (2003) show, for example, that there are
products are sold on the market, respond to various degrees of commitment in anti-
the laws of supply and demand, and are pur- establishment consumer practices. For exam-
chased by individual consumers. In that ple, the purchase of labelled clothes or crafts,
sense, Nike’s logo and a label of organic cer- fair trade products, or of organic food are not
tification are equivalent in their acceptance necessarily anti-establishment acts if these
of the logic of trade and of the market econ- acts are not repeated over time. On the con-
omy’s rules of operation. trary, community-supported agriculture
Consequently the political proposals for (CSA) proposes a reversal of the logic of pro-
change are quite weak. From this world view duction and asks consumers to get involved
the quality turn could have a purely cultural in agro-food activities that profoundly trans-
significance. The desire for food produced form their traditional role. Consumers
locally and identified as ‘home-grown’, become ‘partners’ of the organic farm and
‘craft’, ‘organic’, or ‘fair trade’ is part of the commit themselves to financing the harvest
cultural transition identified by Inglehart, and in advance, to working in the fields and,
derives from the logic of social distinction above all, to receiving in return what the
(Bourdieu, 1979). And it adopts a middle- earth has to offer, according to the climatic
class perspective, rather than that of an anti- and agronomic conditions. Not only does this
establishment political philosophy. Thus, the last condition reverse the current temporality
quality turn would be essentially a cultural of food consumption, it is also very subver-
phenomenon of the upper and upper-middle sive of the representation of the ‘customer as
classes, becoming more widespread on the king’ who chooses what he or she wants
basis of the development of social norms, in when he or she wants it. In the context of
other words, top-down and from the centre to such a partnership, acts of responsible con-
the periphery. The quality turn therefore sumption assume a significance other than
remains within the ideals of the American the mere cultural and social modification of
Dream: social success, the achievement of taste; they are the expression of a political
personal desires and comfort are the most judgement and choice in favour of a different
important objectives. In accepting this model, organization of the relation of food produc-
we would expect the capitalist system of pro- tion, distribution and consumption. They
duction to adapt itself to the new social taste constitute a break with the traditional per-
which, after having demanded practical and spective and social institutions that support
affordable food products, now asks for some the social reproduction of households.
luxury, refinement, exoticism, a guarantee of Indeed, we are here dealing with a new
producers’ economic rights and protection of form of consumerism. Traditional con-
the environment. The basis of the system is not sumerism, in the industrial society of mass
questioned; it is the products and some produc- consumption, consisted of defending con-
tion practices that are being questioned. sumers’ economic interests: the right to the
In the second conceptualization of the future lowest price, the right to a certain quality
of capitalism, as developed by Goodman and (defined in the agro-food sector in terms of