Leisure, power and Social distinction: revisting Veblen in the 21st century

Abstract

This paper revisits Thorstein Veblen’s theory of the leisure class, integrating its core concepts into the socioeconomic dynamics of the 21st century. Through a theoretical and descriptive approach, we recover Veblen’s critical and deductive exercise, questioning the rigidity of economic models that overlook historical, anthropological, and psychological dimensions of consumption. We argue that the perpetuation of distinction and emulation habits not only reinforces symbolic hierarchies but also structures material inequalities and patterns of dependency in peripheral economies, such as Brazil’s. The conclusion underscores the contemporary relevance of Veblen’s thought in understanding phenomena such as mimetic consumption, the role of media in disseminating aspirational patterns, and the critique of economics as a social science disconnected from its institutional foundations.