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Consumers in the Federal Decision-Making Process
Richardson, Lee
16/2  (Winter 1973): 79-84

The article focuses on the role of consumers in the federal decision making process. Characteristics of modern consumerism is the fact that consumers are seeking solutions to problems they perceive as primarily caused by the business system. These consumers, individually and collectively, are looking up to the government to fulfill wants that corporate policy doesn't like, goods, services, information and so on. The development of the consumer movement to this point has generated much divergent opinion on the validity of its specific complaints, but its efforts reflect frustration and skepticism regarding the ability of the business system to deliver efficiently the standard of living to which many of the 21 million U.S. consumers feel entitled. More specifically these consumers feel they could obtain this higher standard of living with their available buying power. This differs from the traditional way of raising one's standard of living and that is by increasing earnings. Their frustration and skepticism are difficult to analyze because there is little evidence to suggest that the business system's efficiency has declined sharply.

 

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