社會的 責任性을 中心으로 한 消費者 倫理 構築方案

Household consumers, as one of three main branches of capitalistic economy, take responsibility for effective running of capitalistic market economy and desirable social development. But so far academic discussions on consumers stay within the limit of consumer behaviors in particular markets or protections for consumers‘ rights against huge and strong sellers in a complex distribution system. Now, as consumers are growing in size and strength in markets, discussions are entering a new phase in which consumers should be regarded as a main constituent playing positive social roles to enhance the morality of market economy and to develop the soundness of a society. So discussions on consumer ethics, not restricted within the limit of rational consumption as economists are usually talking about, need to move on the stage where critical standards for evaluation and development of a society are discussed and established. Social responsibility of consumers includes consumers' awareness of their value and roles in market economy beyond the pale of rational consumption, consumers' vigilant watch on the enterprises who produce and sell goods and services, and on going redistribution role of social resources in a market economy. Furthermore consumers should exert to protect nature and save resources and should set a life-long consumption plan not only for themselves but also for the society. In a word social responsibility of consumers means consumers awareness of their value and roles as a constituent of a society. To enhance social responsibility of consumers we need develop social responsibility indicators and institutionalize them into social system and we make efforts to actualize them through education and social movement.