Marxism & 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?

The review of capital suggests that it has a left-wing ideology through the diverse range of characters showcased in the episodes, using immigrants and promoting ideas of equality.

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?

'The hardest worker on the street was an illegal immigrant, determined to pay her way and not touch a penny of benefits. She was deported, though she did find time to teach English to some of her fellow saints at the detention centre.'

-This just empathises how immigrants are seen as the most hardworking and determined to get payed even if they work illegally in order to pay for her overcrowded family.

'The last 20 minutes contained no plot. Whatever story there had ever been was over.'

-Not much was revealed towards the ending where many mystery's were rushed leaving the audience to question the true ending.

'The Polish builder had a heart of gold and his Hungarian girlfriend was as honest as Mother Teresa.'

-Only illustrates how immigrants are being sympathises by because of their commitment to not be hated on by the British.

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

The characters seen promoting left-wing are Quintina and the Kamal family where scenes including them reaching out to petunia in the shop shows connection and acceptance within equality.

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

It could be seen as right-wing where the stereotypical characters are reinforced such as Rodger and his family including his workplace. He is seen as a traditional white male who seeks dominance and is the head of the family providing the only income. It could bee seen as a mix of both however there is more of a lean to right-wing as there is a lot of authority and hierarchy on their street where Rodgers family has never been to the corner shop or ever seen the Kamal family showing separation.

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?

He suggests that power in society deals with both social and economical power relationships. His ideas

deal with social and economic power relationships and have been influential in economics, politics and sociology

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

It is seen as a good example as Lord Sugar is seen to have all the power reinforcing ideas towards  the ‘superior’ position of the capitalist elite. He uses the system in order to create wealth, exaggerating the power he holds.

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.

Alchemy Of Souls- The story builds on a assassin who becomes an ordinary maid, Mudeok, she lives to work every day and finds joy in her life when she meets a swordsman as she studently becomes his master teaching him the ways whilst completing her own work.

Shadow and bones- Alina a map drawer and her best friend, Mal grew up in an orphanage and now work together and live rough lives around 'The fold' a dark void filled with merciless creatures. This show illustrates their daily lives of survival through their romance and difficult situations.

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.

The first bullet point does not apply to Capital as the powerful and more higher class do their work for the benefit of themselves, they are selfish and only care about matters that concern their own work. This can be shown through the character of Rodger and how at his own office he aims for bonuses towards his own work not caring about his subordinates and their work load. No one in capital shows naturalise ideas except the immigrants of Quentina and the Kamal family who fight their way to equality and believe elite power is foolish. Petunia can also fit into this category as she has a sense of acceptance to the immigrants unlike her late husband as she is seen hanging our at the corner shop having a conversation. Capitalism is seen to support capitalism by its setting of London however the story leads the audience to believe it is challenging ideas. This is because we have a range of diverse characters who fight for their free will by doing whatever they desire without input of the British. An example can be Quintina illegally working even though she has been told to stop multiple times.