21st-century consumers will change capitalism for the better

AT THE DAWN of the 20th century the notion emerged that people were consumers, as well as being workers, neighbours and voters. These bag-carrying, stuff-accumulating shopaholics went on to transform the way the world works. Today you may tut at their hamster-on-a-wheel mindlessness and its environmental impact. Or you may celebrate their freedom to choose goods, experiences and ways of life. But you cannot dispute their economic and political clout. As we explain this week in our special report, a new species of shopper is emerging: less centred on America, more intent on ensuring that what they buy reflects what they believe, and technologically dexterous. This latest incarnation of the global consumer looks likely to change how capitalism works—for the better.