Marxism and 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?

Capital was as stuffed full with fashionable causes as Jeremy Corbyn’s function diary.

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?

'With a fizzle like a firework on a wet night, Capital (BBC1) dribbled to a soggy ending.'

'the crime was handed from one cardboard character to the next. That’s not a whodunnit, it’s a cop-out.'

'Everything British came in for a dose of loathing'

I think that some of the criticism is fair and that Capital did feel like it did not come to a satisfying conclusion as you might think it would from the stress and fears of the characters in the first episode and are wrapped up in a way that feels like it was done for the sake of just getting the series done and finished. However I do think that there was potential for something greater, like maybe if there had been a focus on a smaller ensemble cast or if the representations of police had been a little more 'real', including the threat of the postcards being more visible in the characters daily lives, would have made the series much more enjoyable and intriguing to audiences.

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

When Kwentina meets the black female lawyer, Roger and Arabella being portrayed as snobby the whole time and money obsessed like the bedroom scene, Rogers lack of parenting skill, The Kamal family being integrated into British society and culture, Petunia being very tolerant of immigration.

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

Roger working hard - even at home, Kwentina working overtime, Getting bonuses for hard work, saving to build a better life for yourself


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?

Power is held by the elite and the mass rely on the elite to work and earn a living while the elite are reliant on the masses to stay complacent and not challenge that power.

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

Its a whole show based on the idea that people are dependent on the choice of the entrepreneur Lord Alan Sugar as to whether they will be given the job or not, while the whole premise of being employable and a good fit for the job is to not challange authority while working hard which clearly links to Karl Marx idea that the elite being Alan Sugar is reliant on the qualified labourer 'the contestants' who need to be complacent and unchallenging to maximise profits for the 'elite'. The show therefore reinforces the idea, to audiences, that to be a good worker is to not challenge authority and not to be to much of an individual.

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.

• 'TV's dwindling middle class' New York times - labels the middle class as now being too underrepresented due to and absolute obsession with blue collar workers - but that a lot of shows now lack class-consciousness which ultimately undermines the working classes, as in these shows, the characters do not work to maintain their livelihood but for the suspense and drama

• Shameless US - TV show represents the family as being entirely unable to maintain themselves financially and that they constantly cause problems to society without ever being concerned as the name suggests 'shameless' of their actions.

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 - 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’ - Kwentina 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

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.

In terms of setting the idea that it all takes place in London just creates the idea of wealth and a city brimming with money and the elite this contrast between those who live in London and those who are truly at the top is reinforced by Capital however there are some underlying ideas that even if someone wants to work to make a living there a certain values held by either the people or government that prevents that notion such as Kwentina being detained for working Illegally. 

1) Why did the Daily Mail suggest The Casual Vacancy promoted a left-wing ideology?

by ridiculing the wealthier residents and shaming them for their plot to sell off the local food bank and rehab centre Sweet love House. In interviews J. K. Rowling has stated her disapproval of benefit cuts and the withdrawal of public services, having lived on benefits herself for several years whilst she raised her daughter and wrote the first Harry Potter book. She is also very good friends with, and was a vocal supporter of, former Labour leader Gordon Brown.

2) How does the article suggest characters, narrative and setting are used to promote a left-wing ideology?

Barry Fairbrother – the hero of Pag ford– is dead by page 2 of the novel. However, in the television adaptation he is instrumental in making the case for continued investment in Sweet love House. In Episode 1, he makes a highly provocative and compassionate speech at the Parish Council meeting where the Mollison's and their allies attempt to gather support to have it closed down. The residents rush to see what Sweet love House could look like if it was sold off and turned into a spa; meanwhile the viewers can clearly see Barry Fairbrother watching on in disgust. In Episode 1, we see Howard Mollison ranting at some children looking through the window of his bakery shop: ‘Field kids. Little sods,’ he exclaims, calling them ‘junkies and fat twats’. He goes on to link the kids to his own political views: ‘This is what I’m trying to save us from, the ruination of Pag ford’. Later when he finds out that Barry Fairbrother – a character we already know he despises – has died, he is seen handing out pastries and coffees, bemoaning ‘what shall we do without him? It’s unbelievable I can’t believe it! He was so full of life’. The use of upbeat, mischievous music further enforces Howard’s hypocrisy, but also reveals that he can be read as a comedic figure rather than a particularly malevolent villain.

-Portrays conservative ideas a lot more negatively than more left leaning ones

3) What research is quoted regarding BBC bias and what did it find? Do you think the BBC is biased?

‘Has the BBC license fee become part of Labour’s election budget?’. I think that the BBC should be unbiased and have no political considerations at all but as an institution brought about to 'inform, educate and entertain' I think that it will always be slightly left leaning in order to accommodate and protect its remit as it is a government controlled institution I do not generally believe that they would intentionally be biased.

4) Gramsci's theory of hegemony suggests people are kept under control through active consent - the control of 'common sense'. How could you apply the Daily Mail or the BBC to the idea of hegemony and dominant ideologies in the UK media?

People actively choose to read articles and news stories from these newspapers either online or paper, which gives consent to this media to actively provide you with ideas and ideologies that may come to be adopted or otherwise considered by the person consuming the media, which therefore controls the ideologies that people are exposed to from something like The Sun which will promote their ideas over something like The Guardian causing a rift in beliefs if the person consuming them is not actively constructing their own views critically.