Applying Marxism: blog task
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\Media Factsheets - you'll need to save the factsheet to USB or email it to yourself in order to complete this at home. Read the factsheet and answer the following questions:
1) What does Marxism suggest regarding power in society? marxist thought that 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 good example of the media reinforcing capitalist values, as a wealthy man makes people go under and beyond to complete tasks just for him to pick whether they're worth being hired or fried. This demonstrates his power of being an elite as he has can change a persons life by securing a well paid jobs and receive a large sum of money. 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 three 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'.) n Coronation Street, the life of the working class are somewhat glamorised, as it presents them as leading quite an ideal lifestyle. For example, the neighbours and the entire community generally get along well together, which is not really an accurate representation of how communities in London actually are. Over the past few years, London has become increasingly diverse; some view this as an issue, rather than a positive. So it's clear that this text shows a fetishised version of London, instead of the true more diverse side of it.
In the Daily mirror, the working class/poor people are usually presented in a negative way and they are demonised. Those who receive benefits or financial help or are unemployed, are typically portrayed in quite a negative way. This creates the impression that they are valued less than the elite/upper class minority, because they have less money than them. The headlines of the Daily Mail newspapers are usually phrased in a particular way, in order to position the audience against the working class people. For example, referring to them as "benefit cheats" "scroungers" and "fraudsters" almost dehumanises these people as it implies that they are criminals and are not worth anything.
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:
1) What does Marxism suggest regarding power in society? marxist thought that 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 good example of the media reinforcing capitalist values, as a wealthy man makes people go under and beyond to complete tasks just for him to pick whether they're worth being hired or fried. This demonstrates his power of being an elite as he has can change a persons life by securing a well paid jobs and receive a large sum of money. 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 three 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'.) n Coronation Street, the life of the working class are somewhat glamorised, as it presents them as leading quite an ideal lifestyle. For example, the neighbours and the entire community generally get along well together, which is not really an accurate representation of how communities in London actually are. Over the past few years, London has become increasingly diverse; some view this as an issue, rather than a positive. So it's clear that this text shows a fetishised version of London, instead of the true more diverse side of it.
In the Daily mirror, the working class/poor people are usually presented in a negative way and they are demonised. Those who receive benefits or financial help or are unemployed, are typically portrayed in quite a negative way. This creates the impression that they are valued less than the elite/upper class minority, because they have less money than them. The headlines of the Daily Mail newspapers are usually phrased in a particular way, in order to position the audience against the working class people. For example, referring to them as "benefit cheats" "scroungers" and "fraudsters" almost dehumanises these people as it implies that they are criminals and are not worth anything.
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 apply 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.
I think that Capital does reinforce some of the representations suggested by Marxism. One of the concepts reinforced by Capital, is the idea that "challenges to the base are eaningless, foolish or anti-social." I feel that this idea is shown through the story of Quintina. In her story, Quintina is the immigrant character, who is illegally working and staying in London. Her actions of working as a traffic warden and cashing her cheques, show her as challenging typical conventions and constructs. However, by making a Marxist reading, it is clear to see that her deportation back to her home country, represents a "failed revolt" - which suggests that attempting to go against the base is foolish and futile. This idea is also reflected through the initial concept of the mysterious postcards that are posted through the letterbox of each fresident. This attempt to challenge the elite, proves to be "meaningless" and "foolish", as the person behind the postcards is eventually caught and arrested.
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