Class society and ideology PDF

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Class society and ideology...

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3.6 notes Marx’s ideas -

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Like Durkheim Marx both harms caused by modern industrial society taking shape in 19 th century Europe, promise of progress to better world it held. Marx believed possible to understand society scientifically and that this knowledge point to better society and called ‘scientific socialism’. Marx didn’t see progress as smooth and gradual evolution. Marx was a revolutionary socialist.

Historical materialism -

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Materialism is view humans are beings with material needs, clothing and shelter, and work to meet them. Use forces of production Division of labour increases and divides into 2 classes: o A class owns means of production o Class of labourers Marx refers to forces and relations of production together as mode of production

Class society and exploitation -

Early stage of history there’s no classes private ownership or exploitation; everything is shared. Marx describes as Primitive Communism. As forces of production grow, different class society come and go. Marx 3 successive class societies: o Ancient society o Feudal society o Capitalist society

Capitalism -

Based on division between class of owners, bourgeoisie and proletariat, Has 3 distinctive features: o Proletariat legally free from means of production. Don’t own it and sell their labour power to bourgeoisie for wages to survive. However, only receive cost of subsistence (keeping them alive) difference is surplus value – capitalist profit o Ownership of means of production becomes concentrated in fewer hands, small producers driven into proletariat until most are proletariat o Capitalism expands forces of production for profit pursuit. Production concentrated in larger units

Class consciousness -

Marx says capitalism sows’ seeds of own destruction. Proletariat moves from class to class for itself where members are class conscious.

Ideology -

Marx – class that owns means of production owns controls the means of mental production. Dominant ideas in society are ideas of economically dominant class. Ideology fosters false consciousness in subordinate classes help sustain class inequality. However, capitalism develop class consciousness. See capitalist ideology and get conscious of true wage slave position

Alienation -

Marx believes true nature based on capacity to create things to meet needs. Alienation is result of loss of control over labour and products and separation from true nature. However, under capitalism alienation reaches peak, 2 reasons:  Workers completed separated from and no control over forces of production

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Division of labour at most intense and detailed: worker reduced or unskilled labourer repeating tasks

State, revolution and communism -

Marx defines state as ‘armed bodies of men’ – army, police, prisons etc. state exists to protect interests of class of owners who control it and form ruling class. Proletarian revolution first majority against minority and will:  Abolish state and create classless communist society  Abolish exploitation, replace private ownership with social ownership, replace production for profit with production for human needs.  End alienation as humans regain control of labour and products

Criticisms of Marx Marxs view of class -

Simplistic one-dimensional view of inequality – see class as only important division. Weber argues state and power differences important for inequality. Marx two class model simplistic Class polarisation not occurred. Instead middle class swallowed up expanding proletariat.

Economic determinism -

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Marx’s base superstructure mode; criticised economic determinism – view economic factors are sole cause of everything on society. critics argue not recognise humans free will and bring change through conscious actions Similarly, base superstructure model neglects role of ideas. Related criticism is Marx’s predictions of revolution not come true

The two Marxism’s -

Since Marx’s death 1883, absence of revolutions in west led many Marxists to reject economic determinism of base superstructure model. tried to explain why capitalism persisted how might overthrow. Two broad approaches Alvin Gouldner (1973):  Humanistic or critical Marxism – similarities with action theories and interpretive  Scientific or structuralist Marxism – similar with positivists

Gramsci and hegemony -

Gramsci introduces hegemony, ideological and moral leadership of society, argues proletariat develop ‘counter hegemony’ to win leadership of society from bourgeoisie Rejects economic determinism s explanation of change: change from capitalism to communism never come smple as economic forces result. Gramsci see ruling class maintaining dominance over society:  Coercion – uses army, police etc of capitalist state force classes to accept its rule  Consent (hegemony) – uses ideas and values to persuade subordinate classes that rules legitimate.

Hegemony and revolution -

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Ruling class rely on consent to maintain rule. Gramsci agrees with Marx able to do so as control institutions produce and spread ideas - Hegemony of ruling class never complete:  Ruling class are minority – create power bloc by making alliances with other groups  Proletariat have dual consciousness – ideas influences by material conditions of life Gramsci view, ruling class win battle for ideas by making producing own ‘organic intellectuals. Counter hegemony would win ideological leadership from ruling class offering vision of how society should be organised.

Evaluation of Gramsci -

Gramsci accused of over emphasising role of ideas and under emphasising role off state coercion and economic factors Workers see through ruling class ideology and wish overthrow capitalism, reluctant to try as fear state repression or unemployment. Marxist framework adopted similar approach to Gramsci. Stress role of ideas and consciousness as basis for resisting domination and changing society. Paul Willis (1977) describes working class lads studied ‘partially penetrating’ bourgeois ideology.

Althusser’s structuralist Marxism Criticisms of base superstructure model -

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Marx’s original superstructure model, society economic base determines superstructure of institutions, ideologies and actions. Contradictions in base cause changes in superstructure and bring downfall of capitalism. Capitalist society has 3 levels: o Economic level o Political level o Ideological level

Ideological and repressive state apparatuses -

Economic system dominates capitalism, political ad ideological perform functions. Divides state into 2 apparatuses: o Repressive state apparatus (RSA) – ‘armed bodies of me’ o Ideological state apparatuses (ISA) – include media, education system. ISAs manipulate working class accepting capitalism as legitimate.

Althusser’s criticisms of humanism -

Everything about us is product of underlying social structures. Ian Craib (1992) society is puppet theatre and we’re puppets. Althusser dismissive of humanism, including humanistic Marxists like Gramsci. Humanists believe people use creativity, reason and free will change society. Althusser argues not free agents that humanists think we are – belief we possess free will and choice are false consciousness produced by ideological state apparatus. Merely products of social structures determine everything about us, preparing to hit pre-existing positions in structure of capitalism.

Evaluation of Althusser -

Claims to oppose humanism and determinism, harsher on humanism. Rejects economic determinism, replaces structural determinism where everything determined by 3 structures and interrelationships.

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Scientific approaches discourages political activism because stresses role of structural factors individuals do little to affect. E.P. Thompson (1978) – criticises Althusser for ignoring fact active struggles of working class that change society. accuses Althusser of elitism – belief that communist party know best for workers, should follow party lead. Althusser’s’ offers sophisticated conception of social structure available in social science. Ironically, Althusser believed developing scientific analysis of society help bring progress to better society, structuralist Marxism has been major influence on theories....