Marxism & Hegemony

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?

The Daily Mail review suggests that Capital forces a left-wing ideology onto its viewers, through the inclusion of a diverse range of characters and the use of negative stereotyping in the case of its white British characters (Roger and Arabella). It also mentioned the concept of 'political correctness', suggesting that the show was made only to support causes such as multiculturalism instead of tell a nuanced story about London's housing crisis.

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

"But that concept went nowhere. The residents were bemused, but not scared. The police were clueless, but they still got to the bottom of it." - Unfortunately, I do somewhat agree with this criticism of the show, as the actual narrative of Capital did not take as many risks as it could have. However, this review of the show immediately loses me the moment it dives into right-wing racist fearmongering. 

"Capital was as stuffed full with fashionable causes as Jeremy Corbyn’s function diary." - I see this as very unfair and immature criticism as it reveals more about this journalist's political loyalties than the actual contents of the show.

"Everything British came in for a dose of loathing." - I somewhat agree that Capital often has a negative representation of its British characters, however, the intent of this criticism is to say that this means Capital is biased and unrealistic, which is not true. 

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

Many of Roger and Arabella's scenes promote a left-wing representation of capitalism where the upper middle class are arrogant and inconsiderate of their immense privilege. 

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

Despite Capital's strong support for left-wing beliefs that is evident through both its narrative and characters, it could possibly be argued that some of Capital's ideas around work, with even the Mail Online review stating that the "hardest worker on the street was an illegal immigrant", are capitalistic, with a huge emphasis on being hardworking, a quality that only the characters we are supposed to sympathise with have.

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). Read the factsheet and answer the following questions:

1) What does Marxism suggest regarding power in society?

Marx saw that certain structures in society act to support the financial power-base. There are two main ways this can occur via repression or ideologically. He saw structures of society actively engaged in this type of social control. Although Marx did not live to see the rise of the mass media in the 20th Century, Marxists came to see the media as part of the ideological power structure (the ideological state apparatus or ISA) and claimed the media was party to the construction and maintenance of ideas and values that supported the capitalist system. The ISA can work in a number of ways to create false consciousness - the belief in ideas and values as truths when in fact they are constructed ideologies which support the power base.

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

The fact that Lord 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. Qualities like being outgoing but not too extroverted, being  adventurous in business terms but not reckless; confident but not arrogant and being both good leaders and team players, are the ones that are rewarded by success within the show and can be seen to be part of the construction of a false consciousness regarding the personality types of people who are valued within the capitalist system. The creative, individual or introvert are not seen as ‘acceptable’ neither are those who challenge authority or who work outside team structures. People who do not conform to these norms are ‘fired’. These personality traits can be seen to be the ones that work best within the service industry that employs most people today.

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.

Fetishisation of the working class: Only Fools and Horses

Despite the hardship and economic deprivation experienced by Del Boy and his family in Only Fools and Horses, being working class offers a range of positive experiences. Poverty is also represented as a source of motivation that Del manages to overcome using hard work and wit. 

Demonisation of the working class: News stories focusing on ‘feral youth’/hoodies

The children from poorer backgrounds are shown to be threats to the middle class. These children are assumed to be products of poor backgrounds but their poverty is rarely considered as a causal factor to their behaviour. The class itself is blamed without identifying that the class is a by-product of the capitalist economic structure.

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.

- Show the values of the power elite as beneficial to the mass: The failure of the bankers is what caused the housing crisis and so need to be protected in order for things to go back to normal

 

- Show queries or challenges to the base as meaningless, foolish or anti-social via ‘failed revolt’: Quentina cannot work legally due to asylum laws

- Show the subdominant position of the masses as a naturalised idea: The Kamal family working hard running the store and a newspaper delivery service while Roger struggles due to an 'unfair' bonus

- Show the values of the power elite as ‘natural’ or ‘right’: Rogers reference to his bonus being 'Fundamentally not fair' suggesting its his 'right' to earn a significant bonus

- Show that being a member of the mass is a good thing: The close knit Kamal family which even in the recession stays close together 

- Show the masses accepting the values of the power elite: The characters have no real choice against the crisis

- Show the values of the power elite as being ‘for the good of the masses’ (even when unpleasant): If the banking crisis did not happen most things would be alright