MARXISM

INFRASTRUCTURE• Economic base that shapes

the rest of society

SUPERSTRUCTURE• Political, legal and

educational systems, mass media and beliefs and values

Ruling class ideology:•Ruling class that own and control the media have a vested interest to portray capitalism in a positive light•Mass media reflects the economic base and presents capitalism as normal, reasonable and acceptable •Since the infrastructure largely shapes the superstructure workers will never become aware of their exploitation (false consciousness)•This reinforces the position of the powerful

False consciousness

• The ability to control and limit the information people receive, a ruling class is able to control how people think about things happening in society (directly/indirectly)

Using this perspective how were people manipulated into supporting the ‘war on terrorism?’

'War on terror' was wrong

The phrase gives a false idea of a unified global

enemy, and encourages a primarily military reply

Guardian 15/Jan/09

People were manipulated on the premise of Iraq having weapons of mass destruction that could be launched within 45 minutes

IDEOLOGY• Miliband (73) – the new ‘opium of the people’• The content of the media reflects the viewpoint of

the dominant group in society. (White, male, ruling class)

• the ruling class have to convince the rest of the population to accept inequalities

• The media creates illusions and produces a feeling of well-being, which keeps the working class quiet and encourages them to accept a system.

• The reality is they are being exploited

• This makes it deterministic because the economic base is seen as responsible for shaping all the other social institutions

ACTIVITY: content analysis - Are consumers more important than advertisers in keeping it in existence?

•work out how much space is given over to advertising•Identify the number of advertisements you have encountered on your way to school this morning

CULTURAL HEGEMONYthe dominance of one set of ideas and beliefs over others.

• Gramsci (Neo Marxist) argues that workers will see through the dominant ideology and develop views in opposition to it.

• There are always competing viewpoints and people to challenge the beliefs which can change society

Activity – Farenheit 9/11 & Hurricane KatrinaHow did the coverage of these two news events challenge cultural hegemony?

• The upper middle class are neither wholly bourgeois nor wholly proletarian.

• Social class is always changing and shifting social relations. Both owners and controllers have a core value regarding profit.

• Conflict exists even within the bourgeoisies. (pro-anti europe)

EVALUATION

• According to Marxism it doesn’t matter who owns and controls the mass media because the media will always reflect the views of the capitalist class and broadcast the dominant ideology

• Critics (pluralists) argue the media reflect the concerns and interests of all the major groups of society

• It is difficult to separate hegemony from coercion

EXAM FOCUSNewspapers may appear to be run by

professional managers and journalists, but in reality, it is the owners who wield

ultimate power.

Discuss this statement with reference to sociological evidence and arguments [25]

Pg 59 Jones & Jones

Neo-MarxistNeo-Marxist

MarxistMarxist PluralistPluralist

Controlled by Journalists Journalists have independence & are not manipulated by the owners

Journalist are socialised in the dominant ideology so therefore will reflect the values of the ruling class

Owners want profit –need an audience – so provide what the audience wants

Consumer choice will dictate content of media – all tastes catered for.

Owned by different organisations, regulated by government & content

controlled by consumer choice

The diversity of the mass media products, the different platforms for

broadcasting & the range of pressures that influence the production of the

media serve to ensure that ideological domination cannot take place

The Media Reinforces the dominant position of the ruling class in a

capitalist society & affirms the patterns of power that exist.

This creates an ‘ideological smokescreen’ that persuades the

working class to accept their position

Media emphasises the power of hegemony –

This ideology is spread because they accept it & believe it to be reasonable

to do so.

Do not see ownership and control as necessary or connected

It is physically impossible for owners to have direct hands on control of the day

to day running of organisations

Ownership of media has become increasingly concentrated

Journalist will go along with owners views as they depend on them for their

jobs

Owned & Controlled by the ruling class Those who own the media will directly influence the content to reflect their

interest.

Neo-MarxistNeo-MarxistMedia emphasises the power of hegemony –

This ideology is spread because they accept it & believe it to be reasonable to do so.

Controlled by Journalists

Journalist are socialised

in the dominant ideology so therefore

will reflect the values of

the ruling class

Journalists

have

independence

& are not

manipulated

by the owners

Owned & Controlled by

the ruling class

Owned by different organisations,

regulated by government &

content controlled by consumer

choice

Owners want profit –need an audience – so provide what the audience wants

Those who own

the media will

directly influence

the content to

reflect their

interest.

Journalist will go along with owners views as they depend on them for their jobs

Consumer choice will dictate

content of media – all ta

stes

catered for.MarxistMarxist PluralistPluralist

The diversity of the mass media products, the different platforms for broadcasting & the range of pressures that influence the production of the media serve to ensure that ideological domination cannot take place

The Media Reinforces the dominant position of the ruling class in a capitalist society & affirms the patterns of power that exist.

This creates an ‘ideological smokescreen’ that persuades the working class to accept their position