Karl Marx is one of the biggest names associated with communism, but his greatest works arguably stem from economics rather than politics. Marx saw the destruction caused by industrialism and capitalism, which led to many of his theories collectively known as Marxism. This school of thought examines economic and political issues within society, primarily those expressed in literature. One concept within Marxist theory is consumerism. Consumerism emerged only after the Industrial Revolution, when goods were no longer made by hand, but were mass-produced and sold rather than bartered. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Although consumerism is not directly defined by Marx, it falls well within the scope of his work. According to Lois Tyson in a chapter on Marxist criticism, “consumerism, or shopping to the point of dropism… is an ideology that says 'I am only as good as what I buy'” (Tyson 60). This way of thinking leads to uncontrollable spending and often large amounts of debt, all in the pursuit of the “American Dream.” Discussing the role of money in his theories of alienation, Marx said, “The quantity of money becomes more and more its only important quality…Excess and immoderateness become its true standard” (Fromm 46). In this quote, Marx mentions the “excess and immoderateness” manifested in consumerism, where consumers must have “more” simply because of the esteem associated with countless purchases. Tyson explains by saying, “For Marxism, the value of a commodity lies not in what it can do (use value), but in the money or other commodities for which it can be exchanged (exchange value) or in the social status it holds. bestows upon its owner. (sign exchange value)” (Tyson 62). Therefore, consumerism can be considered one of the repressive capitalist ideologies that Marx often criticized. Rampant consumerism is easily identifiable in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. Willy Loman works desperately to provide for his family and achieve the American dream. Because of his deep need to appear successful, Willy buys the newest comforts for his wife and family. However, the Lomans cannot afford such expensive purchases and have to buy on credit. In one scene, Willy asks his wife Linda what they owe and she replies, “Well, in the first one there's sixteen dollars on the refrigerator… [and] nine sixty for the washing machine. And for the vacuum cleaner there are three and a half due on the fifteenth. Then the roof, you have twenty-one dollars left. Then you owe Frank for the carburetor." The debt from all these purchases amounts to “about one hundred and twenty dollars” (Miller 23). By the time these purchases are paid off, the items are worn out and in need of replacement, at least in Willy's eyes .When they first repair the refrigerator, shortly after purchasing it, Willy says “I know, it's a nice car” (Miller 13). However, when it's almost paid off, he says, “I told you we should have bought it a well advertised machine. Charley bought a General Electric and it's twenty years old and it's still good..." (Miller 31). This is a perfect illustration of consumerism. Willy is happy with his new car until he realizes that his brother has something better. For Willy, his self-esteem is directly linked to his material possessions. When these things start to fail, he also feels like a failure. Keep in mind: this is just one example. Get a personalized article a custom essay The work of.