THE BOOK MAKES EXPLICIT THE NATURE OF SELLER-CONSUMER ISSUES, SUCH AS SELLERS CONDEMNING THE CONSUMER POINT OF VIEW BY ASSUMING THAT CONSUMER PROTECTION IS WITHOUT FOUNDATION; AND CONSUMERS INTERPRETING SELLERS' ACTIONS IN TERM OF GREED, VENALITY, AND EXPEDIENCY. THE VALUE JUDGMENTS INHERENT IN THE SOLUTIONS OF CONSUMER PROTECTION PROBLEMS ARE REVEALED. THREE MAIN SECTIONS FOCUS ON EVENTS THAT HAVE SHAPED THE ENVIRONMENT FOR CONSUMER PROTECTION. PART ONE EXAMINES THE ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EMERGENCE OF CONSUMER PROTECTION. IT TRACES THE HISTORY OF THE CONSUMER MOVEMENT, DEALS WITH SOURCES OF CONFLICT IN THE SELLER-CONSUMER CYCLE, AND VIEWS THE IMPACT OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REGULATORY ACTIVITY ON CONSUMER PROTECTION. THE SECOND PART DEALS WITH SPECIFIC CONSUMER PROTECTION ISSUES RANGING FROM PRODUCT SAFETY TO CONSUMER PROTECTION OF SPECIAL GROUPS. PART THREE DELVES INTO THE FUTURE OF CONSUMER PROTECTION BY ATTEMPTING TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SELF-REGULATORY ACTIVITY ON THE PART OF BUSINESS. PROMINENT CONSUMER PROTECTION LEGISLATION, FROM THE 1906 FOOD AND DRUG ACT TO THE 1975 MAGNUSON-MOSS WARRANTY/FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION IMPROVEMENT ACT IS PROVIDED IN AN APPENDIX. AN INDEX IS INCLUDED.