Affluent Society, The.

Affluent Society, The

(1958) A book on the U.S. economy by John Kenneth Galbraith. In it Galbraith contends that, because of technological advances and increased productivity, by the mid-20th century, consumer goods and material comforts were available to Americans in near - overabundance. He suggested that the " quality of life " would improve if spending power were shifted from the private sector to the public sector, in efforts to increase educational facilities and eliminate such problems as pollution and urban decay. The " quality of life " concept provoked considerable debate in government, in business, and among laymen, and the book's title became a catch - phrase to describe Americans at the peak of prosperity.