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| | U.Va. Top News Daily |
 | | Central to the Consumers Republic was the concept of what I call "purchasers as citizens," individuals who, because they were active exercisers of their purchasing power, were, by definition, good citizens as well, delivering social, political, and economic benefits to the nation. |
 | | In the Consumers Republic, purchasers who bought more, newer, and better were considered good citizens because they kept the engine of mass consumption humming with its promise of far-reaching social, political, and economic rewards for all. |
 | | As the Consumers Republic evolved into the consumerization of the republic, politicians and voters were quick to reject policies they felt yielded an inadequate personal return on their investment. |
| www.virginia.edu /topnews/consumers_republic.html (4289 words) |
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