Which factors contributed to the rise of global consumer culture in the 20th century?

• A. Mass production, global advertising, media, and international travel increased consumer norms.
• B. Isolationism, tariffs, and limited travel suppressed consumer culture.
• C. Local craft production without advertising.
• D. Only government mandates increased consumption.

Answer: (A)

The spread of shared consumer habits across countries in the 20th century was driven by a combination of mass production, global advertising, media, and international travel. Mass production lowered costs and made a wide range of goods affordable and available everywhere, so brands could reach new markets around the world. Advertising and media created and reinforced desires by presenting the same products and glamorous lifestyles to diverse audiences, helping people in different places want similar items. International travel then exposed travelers to foreign products and ways of living, speeding up the flow of goods, ideas, and tastes across borders and making global brands feel familiar.

These forces together explain why consumer norms became more uniform worldwide. In contrast, isolationist policies, tariffs, and limited travel would restrain cross-border exchange and slow this process. Local craft production without advertising tends to emphasize regional variety rather than global sameness, and government mandates alone don’t account for the broad, culturally integrated pattern of consumption that emerged across many countries.