Class, Status and Consumption Pattern: Evidence From Urban China

Abstract

This study used the1988-2009 household survey data of S. city. It mainly does research on the impact that class and status have on consumption pattern. It was found that what influence consumption expenditure is status, but not class; the eating habits of different classes are relatively stable, so what influences the outer consumption is status but not class. Both class and status have significant impact on culture consumption. Hence, class and status have different explanation effect on consumption pattern, but the degree of class structuration has close relationship with consumption pattern. When it is high, not only the consumption culture of different classes is different, but also is the consumption culture of the group of different status. In the development of social economy, with the consumption culture individualized the impact that status has on consumption pattern decreases.