Change of the West German Consumption Regime. Institutions, Information, and Communication (1949 to the Present)

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The intention of the project is o give a broad and systematic overview and analysis of the German consumption regime between 1949 and the present. It attends long-term developments, the analysis and the change of the consumtion regime by considering its (gouvernmental and nonstate) institutions and organizations concerning different categories of consumption (household appliances, commodities of health and foodstuff, financial services). The analysis refers to their functions, communications structures and the way of consumer informations, their organizational integration as well as the context of economic structures, regulatory politics and consumer society in historical perspective. Looking at different stages of development, it will be asked for characteristics of the West German consumer society. The project will clarify, if the model of consumer souvereignty and consumer democracy could be implemented in Germany within this period of time of more than half a century , not at last by the support of technical innovations of consumer communication and information. Can we in the long run talk about a new stage of the German consumption regime or do we have to concede an illusion of empowermen and an excessive demand of consumers, which on the other hand evokes a growing engagement and new regulations of the state in this field?