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?

It views immigration positively in which mentions that the hardest worker on the street was an immigrant , mentions that the Polish builder had a heart of gold and that his Hungarian girlfriend was as trustworthy as Mother Teresa; this demonstrates that the majority of characters that have a positive influence on immigration are those who came to London in search of a better life.

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?

- Maybe that’s one more thing to be added to the list of politically incorrect crimes

- Everything British came in for a dose of loathing

- The hardest worker on the street was an illegal immigrant

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

- Quintina 

- The Kamal family 

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

-  Rodger (when he says "only 30 grand")

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 was interested in the impact of capitalism on society. Through

observations of industrialised Victorian society he noted a number

of things:

• 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

• The majority of the population (the mass or proletariat) had

only their labour (strength and time) to help them make a living

• Industrialisation had meant that the elite were the only ones

who had access to the means of production

• Without the ability to produce for themselves, the mass were

dependent on the elite for survival

• To maximise profits, the elite needed to get as much labour from

the mass for as little cost as possible

• The elite needed the mass to accept their position as powerless

workers.

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.

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.

1: Reality TV Show - "Benefits Street"

"Benefits Street" was a controversial reality TV show that aired in the UK. The show focused on a community with a high number of residents claiming government benefits. It was criticised for sensationalising and demonising the lives of people living on benefits. The show's editing and narrative choices often highlighted negative aspects of the characters' lives, emphasising dependency on welfare, social issues, and alleged instances of fraud. By presenting a skewed and sensationalised portrayal of those on benefits, the show communicated a message that perpetuated negative stereotypes and stigmatised individuals in economically disadvantaged situations.

2: Tabloid Newspaper - "The Daily Express"

Tabloid newspapers like "The Daily Express" have been criticised for running sensational headlines and stories that demonise working-class life or those on low incomes. These newspapers often employ derogatory terms like "scroungers" or "benefit cheats" to refer to people who receive government assistance. By consistently portraying people on benefits as dishonest or exploiting the system, these newspapers foster a negative public perception.

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.

"Capital," the TV series, aligns with a Marxist reading by portraying the values of the power elite as desirable and beneficial, while the subdominant position of the masses is presented as the norm. The narrative reinforces the naturalisation of this hierarchy and depicts attempts to challenge it as futile. Although it showcases the struggles of working-class characters, the show ultimately accepts the values of capitalism, positioning the wealthy characters' lifestyles as inspirational and implying that their actions are 'for the good of the masses,' even when unpleasant. "Capital" reinforces rather than challenges the values of the power elite, reflecting a portrayal of society that aligns with capitalist ideals which an example of this from episode one is the whole portrayal of Rodger and his family.