Which term describes large-scale buying, often financed by credit?

Which term describes large-scale buying, often financed by credit?

• A. Consumerism
• B. Speculation
• C. Industrialization
• D. Capitalism

Answer: (A)

Large-scale buying financed by borrowed money is consumerism. This describes a pattern where people purchase many goods—often on credit through installment plans or store accounts—driven by advertising, availability of credit, and a culture of consumption. It became especially evident in the early 20th century United States as mass production and new credit options made cars, appliances, and other goods more accessible, fueling widespread spending and debt. The other terms describe different ideas: speculation centers on hoping to profit from changes in asset prices, industrialization is about the growth of large-scale manufacturing, and capitalism is the overall economic system that underpins these practices but does not, by itself, specify the behavior of mass purchasing on credit.

Large-scale buying financed by borrowed money is consumerism. This describes a pattern where people purchase many goods—often on credit through installment plans or store accounts—driven by advertising, availability of credit, and a culture of consumption. It became especially evident in the early 20th century United States as mass production and new credit options made cars, appliances, and other goods more accessible, fueling widespread spending and debt. The other terms describe different ideas: speculation centers on hoping to profit from changes in asset prices, industrialization is about the growth of large-scale manufacturing, and capitalism is the overall economic system that underpins these practices but does not, by itself, specify the behavior of mass purchasing on credit.