Fordism is the result of structural change within Capitalism. Fordism evolved from the Capitalist system through an increase in the efficiency of production. ̀ass production mass consumption, mass media and waste are all characteristics of the Fordist system.
Fordism thrives on mass production and mass consumption. Ford used the assembly line to produce a larger quantity of products (in his case automobiles) at a quicker rate. The assembly line consisted of a line of workers who would each do a specific part of the labor to add to the end result. Before the assembly line, skilled workers and experienced workers were needed for production of the whole product. The assembly line functions in a way that a worker only needs to know one of the many individual tasks in production. This allowed for unskilled and inexperienced workers to obtain industrial jobs working on the assembly line. As production and consumption increased, workers were paid better wages. As workers made more money they had more money to spend and so they became consumers as well, putting their money back into the Fordist system and creating the beginnin
However, the Fordist system does have a tool it uses to attempt to overcome the "tragedies" of "under consumption" this tool is called mass media. Mass media uses advertising to convince people that they want and even need a product. This is done through manipulation and selling a product by appealing to personal fantasy. Thus people consume because mass media has fooled them into believing that they need to consume. In the post Fordist era people consume regardless of their financial capabilities. They establish credit, get loans and owe debts to banks just so they can buy something they have fooled into believing they need.
Fordism creates a globalization of production and it's culture. This "spread" of Fordism has a negative effect on culture, the environment and production it's self. Fordism has spread to other countries outside the United States, Germany and Japan are just two examples of countries that have entered what I like to call "The Fordist Black Whole". The only way to ensure the success of the Fordist system is to continue to mass-produce and mass consume. Without mass consumption and mass consumption, Fordism canno
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