本文以对批判理论的重新解读为出发点，以对鲍德里亚理论的系统考察为切入点，试图在对消费以及消费社会理论的核心概念及其嬗变进行系统梳理研究的基础上，初步建构一种一般性的消费社会理论及其方法论体系。 全文共分五章，第一章通过对批判理论的重新解读，揭示了它的两个基本特征：批判性介入的理论态度和异化的思维模式。在此基础上，又通过对黑格尔和马克思异化思想的深入考察，进一步揭示了异化思维的一般模式：异化的原初状态（具有逻辑完满性而缺乏现实完满性）－异化（逻辑非完满性而具有现实完满性）－异化的终极状态（具有逻辑与现实的完满性）。第二章以批判理论的两个基本特征为标尺，在对鲍德里亚思想进行系统深入研究的基础上，指出了鲍德里亚的消费社会理论乃是一种批判理论。第三章对消费社会理论的核心概念：消费进行了系统考察，指出在当代消费社会之中，消费实现了一个重要转向：从对物的消耗转向了符号的交流体系。第四章重新回到了批判理论的视域之下，指出从经典批判理论到当代批判理论——消费社会理论，在批判的层次上，实现了一个飞跃：从对现实物的批判深入了对抽象符号的批判。第五章则把消费社会拉到了政治经济学的视域之下，通过对符号学方法的系统阐释和运用，建构了一个关于消费社会的符号政治经济学批判体系。 本文的第一章和第二章乃是全文的基础和铺垫，它们确立了整个研究的基本立足点：批判理论和核心资源：鲍德里亚的消费社会理论，因此分别构成了研究的历史和逻辑起点。第三章到第五章乃是全文的主体和核心部分。它们之间存在一种层层推进的关系。第三章通过对消费概念的考察，奠定了整个消费社会理论的基石。第四章通过对社会批判层次深化和飞跃的揭示，使一般性消费社会理论初步形成。第五章则是在上述诸章的基础上，对消费社会理论的一个集中建构。这一建构又由两部分组成，其一是它的核心方法——符号阐释法；其二是它的核心理论——符号的政治经济学批判，二者共同构成了一个完整的消费社会理论体系。

The thesis is an attempt to give an elaborate research on the frame of Consumer Society Theory. Through retrospection on the history of consception of ‘consume’ and of ‘consumer society’, it tries to construct a general ‘Consumer Society Theory’ which does not belong to anyone. In the essence, this kind of theory is new form of Critical Theory in this time, which has its own particular method to critic the society. The thesis is composed of five charpters. Based on the article of Traditional Theory and Critcal Thoery written by Moriz Horkheimer, the first one is to draw out two criteria to demarcate which one belongs to Critical Thoery, which one is not. These two criteria are: the attitude of critic intervention and mode of alienation thinking. Through the analyse of theory of Marx and Hegel, the thesis generalizes three steps of mode of alienation and re-disscuse the theory of Frankfurt school according to it. The second charpter tries to put Jean Baudrillard’s theory of consumer society into boundary of Critical Theory in accordance with the mode of alienation thinking, so that to prove that Consumer Soceity Theory should be one kind of Critical theory. From third to fifth charpter, the thesis begins to construct general theory of Consumer Society. It mainly disscusses the histry of conception including ‘consume’, ‘ needs of system’(chapter three), and ‘consumer society’(chapter four), so that to put consumer society into the historical and practical view. At same time, with comparion of different theories of consumer society, the thesis has found the common idea and method in them, and one kind of general theory has been expounded. Theory should be descrited as a critical theory which from view of consumption, under the way of alienation thinking, put everyday life as critc object using method of sign expatiation. The first chapter is the foundation of whole thesis, for its dawing up two critia as demarcation of Critical Theory. The third chartper and fifth chaprter is the core of the thesis. The third chatper actualizes the conversion of meaning of consumption which is the premise to construction of general Thoery of Consumer Society. The fifth chapter constructs a systemical methold with integration with semeiology and post- structuralism to critic society. The aim of this thesis is not to end the theory of Consumer Society with a systematical method, but to direct the way of further research on it and to introduce a new methold and a new perspective to critic society. From this point of view, the whole thesis should only be regarded as introduction.