What did Karl Marx famously criticize?
the effects of industrialisation and capitalism on society
What is history for Karl Marx?
history is sa struggle for contolling resources
history is cyclical
What do Marx and Engels say about human needs?
“but life involves before everything else eating and drinking, a habitation, clothing…, the first historical act must be to satisfy thse needs,…”
-> you can only start thinking about art etc. once your basic needs are fulfilled
Why does Marx say that the working class is disadvantaged?
because they can only work (sell themselves) but at the end of the day, never own anything
How does Marx see the Alienisation of labourers (as opposed to artisans)?
workers are only responsible for one step of the process, no one develops a full skill set and no one identifies with the finished product
worker’s needs are irrelevant, they are expected to funtion like cogs in a machine
if they don’t -> it costs capitalist boss money
What message do you get from a marxist reading of the “Chrlie Chaplin, Modern Times” clip (1936)?
if capitalism goes too far, it can turn humans against themselves
if you treat humans like machines, something is bound to go wrong sooner or later
What is the Base, in marxism?
the means of production (tools, machines, factories, land)
relations of production (proletariat, bourgeoisie, capital, private property)
-> it shapes (and maintains) the superstructure
What is the superstructure, in marxism?
everything not directly to do with production (art, family, culture, religion, philosophy, …)
= ideology
it grows out of the base
it maintains (and shapes) the base
How is ideology defined in marxism?
as “false consciousness”
(Marx/Engels think we can get rid of ideology, modern scholars disagree)
What is the relationship between base and superstructure?
they move in a spiral pattern, the base is generally dominant
the superstructure grows out of the base, but once established, they feed off each other in a dialectic relationship
What influence has Marxism had on Cultural Studies?
dominant ideas are usually those of the ruling group and intended to keep them in power
ideas are also to keep workers from considering their position and protesting, the exploited are unable to see themselves as such
What are (6) cultural studies ideas that come from marxism?
power, global reach and history-making capacities of capital
class
relations between power and exploitation
promise of a theory that can connect theory and practice
notion of critical knowledge
production of critical knowledge as practice
Why are marxism and cultural studies not the perfect fit?
marxism has no “real interest” in culture, language, the symbolic
economic relationships can explain everythhing for marxism (narrow)
marxists can’t imagine an escape from the system
marxism presents itself as a meta-theory
marxism is euro-centric (not only due to M/E heritage, white people have always exploited)
Who was Antonio Gramsci?
important communist leader in Italy at a very dangerous time
very targeted by authorities and the fascist regime
was imprisoned, kept writing theories in prison
What was Antonio Gramsci interested in?
how the ruling class maintains power, Gramsci displaces marxist theory onto questions of ideology
while M/E focused on the base, Gramsci focused on the superstructure
How is Hegemoy defined? (by Gramsci?)
a special kind of power, namely that of persuasion, by the ruling group of the sort that subordinate groups accept because they think it’s in their best interests
= dominant group convinces subordinate group that it’s in their own interest to be ruled by them (appell to common sense)
explain the problem in wage vs salary?
salary: paid monthly
wage: paid weekly
-> suggests workers aren’t able to handle their month worth pay, better the employer hold on to it
becomes harder for workers to make big investments
What 2 ways does Gramsci see out of the system?
war of manoeuvre: direct violent revolution
war of position: negotiations between parties
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