The Rise of Mass Consumption Societies
构建模型解释大众消费社会如何形成，指出收入分配既不能太平均也不能太不平等，否则经济会陷入贫困陷阱或过早停滞，对研究经济增长和消费的学者有参考价值。
This paper develops a model to understand mechanisms behind the rise of mass consumption societies. The development process depicted in the model follows the Flying Geese pattern, in which a series of industries takes off one after another. As productivity improves in these industries, each consumer good becomes affordable to an increasingly large number of households, which constantly expand the range of goods they consume. This in turn generates larger markets for consumer goods, which leads to further inprovement in productivity. In order for such two-way causality to generate virtuous cycles of productivity gains and expanding markets, income distribution should be neither too equal nor too unequal. Some income inquality is needed for the economy to take off; too much equality means that the economy stagmates in a poverty trap. With too much inequality, the ecnomoy's development stops prematurely. The rise of a mass consumption society is thus an essential element for sustainable development.