引用
生產的政治經濟學到消費的文化經濟學：從階級做爲施爲機制的角度來考察
From Political Economy of Production to Cultural Economy of Consumption: A Perspective by Taking
作者：葉啓政（Chi-Jeng YEH） | 首次發表於 2020-07-05 | 第 28 期 September 2002
DOI：https://dx.doi.org/10.6786/TJS.200209.0153
研究論文（Research Articles）
DOI：https://dx.doi.org/10.6786/TJS.200209.0153
研究論文（Research Articles）
論文資訊 | Article information
摘要 Abstract
傳統西方社會學一向以強調生產面向的政治經濟學做爲論述社會的基架，但是，晚近來，以消費爲軸線所開展的文化經濟學論述，卻似乎有逐漸凌駕而成爲主流論述的趨勢。情形所以會是如此，可以同時從西方社會發展史和社會學史中找到一些足資依循的脈絡。在這些可依循的歷史脈絡中，作者選擇了十七世紀時即出現在西歐社會裡之「舒適」概念的歷史背景做爲討論的起點。繼而，透過以「階級」做爲施爲機制這樣的論述基礎，討論整個現代社會如何從以資產階級做爲歷史主體，轉而以居中產位置之新階級做爲歷史演進的領航者。於此，討論的焦點擺在說明新階級所具之「矛盾階級關係中的矛盾位置」的特質，是削弱了過去（特別是馬克思主義者）強調而體現在生產面向（又特別是階級對立）之結構命定格局的重要「潛在」條件。基本上，情形是，在新階級逐漸搶得了歷史主導權之後，這樣的「矛盾階級關係中的矛盾位置」特質，對塑造以「舒適」心理爲基礎之消費行爲做爲軸線的歷史場景，產生了迂迴促發作用的可能性。這樣可能來臨的社會場景基本上內涵著，過去生產面向爲焦點所呈現的生與死撕裂對抗格局被衝散掉了。此時，人們把「死亡」予以懸擱，人類文明朝向一種無止境、也無責任負擔之「永生」的「自由」狀態發展。
關鍵字：生產的政治經濟學、消費的文化經濟學、新階級、矛盾階級關係中的矛盾位置、舒適
關鍵字：生產的政治經濟學、消費的文化經濟學、新階級、矛盾階級關係中的矛盾位置、舒適
The Political economy of production has long been taken by Western sociologists as the most important conceptual foundation to illuminate the nature of society, particularly the modern capitalist society. Yet, the author argues that such a conceptual scheme has gradually lost its feasibility in explaining the so -called postmodern society. Instead, the cultural economy of consumption will offer a greater power of explanation giving both clearer meaning and clearer historical significance.
Under the rubric of ”class” as a sensitive construct to serve as an agency mechanism, the concept of comfort” developed in the 17 th-century European society can be elaborated as the key notion in sharpening the concept of bourgeois, particularly that of the middle class” developed in the 19th century and the so-called ”new class” in the contemporary age. Accordingly, the new class is embedded with a structural position, namely, contradictory location in a contradictory class relationship (CLCR), which eventually jeopardizes the power of explanation and its theoretical significance. Further the concept of new class jeopardizes the notion of production (and therefore, political economy) which may serve as Marxists used to believe and claim. It is quite obvious that what the nature of CLCR induces instead is to promote the notion of symbolic consumption to an unprecedented position in enlightening the description of modern society. As a result, the tension of a life-and-death between di fferent classes which used to be found in the domain of production, has been diminished. What consumption brings up is mainly a state of eternal life in which freedom is conveyed through a tangible opportunity that people can easily consume a symbolic world without limitation as long as a basic requirement (such as having enough money) is met.
Keywords: political economy of production, cultural economy of consumption, new class, contradictory location in the contradictory class relationship, comfort
Under the rubric of ”class” as a sensitive construct to serve as an agency mechanism, the concept of comfort” developed in the 17 th-century European society can be elaborated as the key notion in sharpening the concept of bourgeois, particularly that of the middle class” developed in the 19th century and the so-called ”new class” in the contemporary age. Accordingly, the new class is embedded with a structural position, namely, contradictory location in a contradictory class relationship (CLCR), which eventually jeopardizes the power of explanation and its theoretical significance. Further the concept of new class jeopardizes the notion of production (and therefore, political economy) which may serve as Marxists used to believe and claim. It is quite obvious that what the nature of CLCR induces instead is to promote the notion of symbolic consumption to an unprecedented position in enlightening the description of modern society. As a result, the tension of a life-and-death between di fferent classes which used to be found in the domain of production, has been diminished. What consumption brings up is mainly a state of eternal life in which freedom is conveyed through a tangible opportunity that people can easily consume a symbolic world without limitation as long as a basic requirement (such as having enough money) is met.
Keywords: political economy of production, cultural economy of consumption, new class, contradictory location in the contradictory class relationship, comfort
- 關鍵詞:
- 生產的政治經濟學
- 消費的文化經濟學
- 新階級
- 矛盾階級關係中的矛盾位置
- 舒適
