This book investigates the scope, nature, and welfare effects of status consumption by the poor in developing countries, a phenomenon that is virtually unexplored in the development economics literature. It addresses questions such as: why do the poor buy status-intensive goods, while they suffer from inadequate levels of basic needs satisfaction? Is it because they are willing to pay extra for a good if it displays a well-known logo of a Western brand? What role do counterfeit goods play in status consumption by the poor? And do Western brand-name goods consumed by others provoke envy in...