Full Description
How did industrialization drive the development of consumer rights and protections in the USA? How have these laws defended consumers against business fraud, deceptive advertising, industrial pollution, and unsafe or unethical practices? Why have opinions about the value of consumer rights and the need for business regulation become so politically polarizing? Which activists, laws, events, and agencies have had the greatest impact on consumer rights? This all-in-one resource answers these questions and many more, providing readers with insights into the past, present, and possible futures of consumer rights in America.
The book's opening chapters explore the history and evolution of consumer rights, paying particular attention to the laws and arguments upon which those protections were built and hold continued importance. Later chapters explore how consumer rights have evolved in specific industries, including food and beverage; cosmetics; health care and pharmaceutical; transportation; and banking and finance. Together, this coverage provides a wide-ranging resource for understanding the state of consumer protection and business regulation in the 21st century.
Contents
How to Use This Book
Introduction
1 Historical Overview of Consumer Rights and Protections in America
Q1. How did industrialization affect the rise of consumer rights and protections?
Q2. How did politics impact the evolution of consumer rights and protections?
Q3. Who were early leaders in efforts to secure increased consumer protections?
Q4. Who were the leading advocates for consumer rights and protections after 1906?
2 Federal Laws and Agencies Overseeing Consumer Rights and Protections
Q5. What were the first American laws pertaining to consumer rights and protections?
Q6. How did the New Deal affect consumer rights and protections?
Q7. What are the most significant consumer protection laws of the post-World War II era?
Q8. Which federal agencies currently oversee consumer rights and protections?
3 Controversial Issues Involving Consumer Rights and Protections
Q9. Does government involvement in consumer protection lead to a "nanny state"?
Q10. Is advertising exempt from consumer protection laws under the First Amendment?
Q11. Do consumer rights and protections cover the alleged "pink tax"?
4 Consumer Rights and Protections for Food and Beverages
Q12. What part did fertilizer play in the development of consumer rights and protections?
Q13. How were the "Margarine Wars" and "Pure Ketchup Campaign" significant in consumer protections for food?
Q14. How did the "Poison Squad" advance consumer rights and protections?
Q15. What impact did Upton Sinclair's The Jungle have on consumer rights and protections?
Q16. Do consumer rights and protections cover the beverages we drink?
Q17. Have consumer rights and protections for food replaced the principle of caveat emptor ("buyer beware")?
5 Consumer Rights and Protections for Cosmetics, Pharmaceuticals, and Healthcare
Q18. Are cosmetics covered by consumer rights and protections?
Q19. Do consumer rights and protections safeguard over-the-counter products?
Q20. What role did the American Chamber of Horrors play in modern consumer protections?
Q21. Are there consumer rights and protections for prescription drugs?
Q22. Is healthcare shielded from consumer rights and protections?
6 Consumer Rights and Protections in Transportation
Q23. What role did Ralph Nader play in automotive consumer rights and protections?
Q24. Do consumer rights and protections cover the automotive industry and car sales?
Q25. Are railroads accountable to consumer rights and protections?
Q26. What consumer rights and protections cover air travel?
7 Consumer Rights and Protections in Finance and Technology
Q27. Are consumer rights and protections necessary in financial matters?
Q28. How has fraud been part of the evolution of financial consumer protections?
Q29. What roles did Charles Ponzi, Bernard Madoff, and Sarah Howe play in financial consumer protections?
Q30. How did the Savings and Loan Scandal affect consumer financial protections?
Q31. How has the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau affected consumers?
Q32. Do consumer protections cover emerging technologies such as cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence?
Index
