A brief history of thrift

A Brief History of Thrift surveys thrift through its moral, religious, ethical, political, spiritual, and philosophical expressions, focusing on key moments such as the early Puritans and post-war rationing, and key characters such as Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Smiles, and Henry Thoreau.

The relationships between thrift and frugality, mindfulness, sustainability, and alternative consumption practices are explained. Connections are made between myriad conceptions of thrift and contemporary concerns for how consumer cultures impact scarce resources, wealth distribution, and the Anthropocene.

Ultimately, the book returns the reader to an understanding of thrift as it was originally used—to 'thrive'—and attempts to recast thrift in more collective, economically egalitarian terms, reclaiming it as a genuinely resistant practice.