The Price of Prestige

conclusions 157

that are associated with and are indicative of the dynamics of conspicuous

consumption. By simply demonstrating that conspicuous consumption oc-

curs in international relations, we open the door for further incorporation

of prestige- centric analysis into international relations theory.

The preference for conspicuousness is tightly connected to the accep-

tance of high cost. It is this bias in favor of the extravagant that is the hall-

mark of the conspicuous consumption argument. Accordingly we find na-

vies opting for observable weapons systems instead of investing funds in

improved communications or defense systems. The resilience of the large

ship as the backbone of the British and German navies even after the

marginal role played by these ships in World War I similarly demonstrates

a preference for conspicuousness. Moreover, the striking differences be-

tween the determinants of naval procurement and tank procurement

provide further support for the conspicuousness hypothesis. Finally, the

poor state and questionable utility of many of the world’s aircraft carri-

ers stands in stark contrast to their cost and to the amount of attention

that they attract. In the prosocial realm, we can also identify an effort to

enhance the conspicuousness of investment. Thus, we find actors shying

away from providing logistical support to peacekeeping missions, flocking

to assist the same aid recipients, and using token contributions in aid or

peacekeeping in order to enhance their reputation for generosity. When

it comes to Big Science, we similarly find a preference for purple pigeons

over gray mice, leading states to support attention- grabbing delegations

of transit observers while penny- pinching the painstaking and decidedly

unglamorous process of data analysis.

The implications of class and club politics in international relations are

woven throughout this study. The desire to become a member of an ex-

clusive class or club often plays an important role in the decision- making

calculus of conspicuous consumers. Along these lines, we see countries

struggle to fund transit observations as a way of claiming membership in

the club of civilized nations while carrier owners parade their ships in an

attempt to earn an entry pass to the club of major powers. The case of the

Thai carrier is illustrative: once Thailand acquired the vessel and could

claim to be a member of the carrier club, it no longer was able or willing

to invest even minimal funds for the maintenance and operation of the

ship. This suggests that Thailand was more interested in having a carrier

than in having an operational carrier. In chapter 4 I explored the hypoth-

esis that certain patterns of conspicuous consumption are more prevalent

among members of a specific class by focusing on prosocial tendencies