Marxism & hegemony: blog tasks

Task 1: Mail Online review of Capital

1) Re-read the Mail Online review of Capital. Why does it suggest that Capital features a left-wing ideology?

Everything British came in for a dose of loathing. When investment banker Roger muttered something self-deprecating, one of the immigrant characters snarled, with real anger: ‘Ah! The Great British understatement!’

2) Choose three quotes from the review that are particularly critical of Capital and paste them into your blog post. Do you agree with the criticisms? Why?

The last 20 minutes contained no plot. Whatever story there had ever been was over. We just watched all the characters saying goodbye to each other, including an excruciating round of farewells as Mrs Kamal kissed her sons outside the corner shop, with a banal word for all of them.

Capital started with an intriguing idea: some unknown anarchist was posting ominous cards through the doors in a gentrified London street, where property values and parking permits were all-important. The cards simply said, ‘We want what you have’. But that concept went nowhere.

Everything British came in for a dose of loathing. When investment banker Roger muttered something self-deprecating, one of the immigrant characters snarled, with real anger: ‘Ah! The Great British understatement!’

3) What scenes or characters from Capital could be read as promoting left-wing ideology?

The immigrants: Kamal, Quentina the Polish builders and everyone else

4) What about the other side of the argument - are there any aspects of Capital that reinforce right-wing or capitalist viewpoints?

White heterosexual men can be seen dominating the banking industry whereas people of colour such as the Zimbabwean woman are working poorer jobs - in her case, she is working illegally. The Pakistani working at the corner shop is another example of this.


Task 2: Media Factsheet - Applying Marxism 

Go to our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive and open Factsheet #66: Applying Marxism. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level or online here (you'll need your Greenford Google login to access it). Read the factsheet and answer the following questions:

1) What does Marxism suggest regarding power in society?

Power was held by a minority (the elite or bourgeoisie) who had access to capital and could use their money and power to generate more wealth

2) Why is The Apprentice a good example of the media reinforcing capitalist values and ideologies?

The Apprentice is a prolonged job interview where contestants compete against each other to be chosen for a job working for the entrepreneur Lord Alan Sugar. The fact that Sugar has all the power reinforces the ‘superior’ position of the capitalist elite. He has power as he has used the system to create wealth and he is shown using this power to provide a livelihood for the winner of the competition. All of the contestants are dependent on him for their survival in the show (and implicitly, beyond). The contestants are challenged each week to complete tasks that have some relationship to the world of business. For example, season 6 tasks have included designing and attempting to sell a new beach accessory and making and selling sausages.

3) Come up with two examples of media texts (e.g. TV programmes, newspapers etc.) that either fetishise working-class life (e.g. EastEnders presents quite a harmonious East End community which probably doesn't accurately reflect East London life) or demonise working-class life or poor people (e.g. The Daily Mail and The Sun newspapers regularly demonise people living on benefits with headlines referring to 'scroungers'.) Explain what meanings these texts communicate to their audiences.

Example 1: The Jeremy Kyle Show (demonizing working-class people)

The Jeremy Kyle Show was a daytime television talk show that aired in the UK from 2005 to 2019. The show's format involved confrontational discussions between guests on various topics, including relationships, family, and addiction. The show often featured working-class guests, who were portrayed as having dysfunctional lifestyles and making poor life choices.

The show's communication to the audience was that working-class people are often troubled, dysfunctional, and prone to making poor life choices. It portrayed them as people who cannot solve their own problems and need the help of an expert like Jeremy Kyle to sort out their lives. The show also suggested that working-class people were more likely to engage in criminal activity, drug and alcohol abuse, and unstable relationships.

Example 2: Benefits Street (fetishizing working-class life)

Benefits Street is a British television documentary series that aired on Channel 4 in 2014. The show was set on a street in Birmingham, which had a high number of residents on welfare benefits. The show aimed to explore the lives of the people living there and their dependence on the welfare system.

The show communicated to the audience that working-class life is a fascinating and unique subculture. It presented the residents of Benefits Street as resilient and resourceful, despite the challenges they faced. The show portrayed them as a close-knit community that relied on each other for support. However, some viewers criticized the show for exploiting the struggles of working-class people and portraying them as lazy and dependent on welfare benefits.

Overall, these examples demonstrate how the media can perpetuate negative stereotypes and stigma about working-class people, either by demonizing or fetishizing their lives. It's essential to critically analyze media texts and consider the impact they have on shaping public perception and attitudes towards different social groups.

4) Look at the bullet points on page 4 of the factsheet:

When making a Marxist reading of a text, look out for representations that:

• show the values of the power elite as beneficial to the mass
• show queries or challenges to the base as meaningless, foolish or anti-social via ‘failed revolt’
• show the subdominant position of the masses as a naturalised idea
• show the values of the power elite as ‘natural’ or ‘right’
• show that being a member of the mass is a good thing
• show the masses accepting the values of the power elite
• show the values of the power elite as being ‘for the good of the masses (even when unpleasant)

Now try applying those bullet points to Capital. Think about the setting, characters and narrative strands - how many of the bullet points apply to Capital? Does Capital reinforce or challenge the values of capitalism? Give examples from episode 1 to support your points.

The show does depict the values of the power elite as beneficial to the mass. For example, in the first episode, we see the residents of Pepys Road (the wealthy area) living in luxurious homes, while the immigrant workers are shown living in cramped quarters. The show portrays the wealthy characters as successful and happy, while the working-class characters are struggling and unhappy.

The show doesn't necessarily show queries or challenges to the base as meaningless, foolish or anti-social via ‘failed revolt.’ However, it does depict the working-class characters as unable to challenge or change the economic system that oppresses them. For example, the character Quentina tries to organize a protest against the gentrification of her neighbourhood, but her efforts are largely unsuccessful.

The subdominant position of the masses is definitely a naturalized idea in the show. The working-class characters are shown as powerless and unable to change their situation. The show portrays their poverty and struggles as an inevitable consequence of their position in society.

The values of the power elite are depicted as 'natural' and 'right' in the show. The wealthy characters are portrayed as deserving of their wealth and status, while the working-class characters are shown as deserving of their struggles.

The show doesn't necessarily depict being a member of the mass as a good thing. However, it does portray the working-class characters as having some sense of community and solidarity. For example, Quentina's neighbours come together to support her when she's facing eviction.

The show doesn't necessarily depict the masses accepting the values of the power elite. However, it does show them as largely powerless to challenge or change those values.

The show doesn't necessarily depict the values of the power elite as being 'for the good of the masses (even when unpleasant).' However, it does show the wealthy characters as being largely unconcerned with the struggles of the working-class characters.

Overall, Capital can be seen as reinforcing the values of capitalism by portraying the wealthy characters as deserving of their wealth and status, and the working-class characters as powerless to change their situation. However, it doesn't necessarily show the masses accepting the values of the power elite or the values of the power elite as being 'for the good of the masses.'