The Theory of the Leisure Class

The Theory of the Leisure Class is a book, first published in 1899, by the American economist Thorstein Veblen while he was a professor at the University of Chicago.

Use of satire, sarcasm and humor

Theory is often considered a satire on modern society. For example, this following passage is possibly the most often-quoted from his book:

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:A better illustration , or at least a more unmistakable one, is afforded by a certain king of France who was said to have lost his life in the observance of good form. In the absence of the functionary whose office it was to shift his master's seat, the king sat uncomplaining before the fire and suffered his royal person to be toasted beyond recovery. But in so doing he saved his Most Christian Majesty from menial contamination.

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The book's popularity and commercial success is based largely on this satire. After William Dean Howells gave the book a rave review as a social satire, it became a bestseller.

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Ironically, Veblen did not intend for Leisure to be a satire, but a serious economic analysis of contemporary America. For example, his theories on businessmen would find a more serious forum discussion in his 1904 book, The Theory of Business Enterprise.

Related Topics:
1904 - The Theory of Business Enterprise

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