MARXISM & HEGEMONY
Karl Marx (1818 – 1883) &
Friedrich Engels
They are a German Émigrés Living in Britain
Karl Marx and Frederick Engels developed a
movement called Marxism
They Develop Marxism in the Early Mid 19th
Century
WHAT IS MARXISM?
Socio-political and economic philosophy that
examines the effect of capitalism on labor,
productivity and economic development.
Political Ideology for how to change and
improve society by implementing socialism
Posits that the struggle between social classes,
specifically between the bourgeoisie(capitalist)
and the proletariat(workers)
CAPITALISM
An economy based on business, trade and
consumption with an aim of making big profits
Problem?
It does not benefit all--the rich gets richer the
poor gets poorer
2 SOCIAL CLASSES IN A CAPITALIST SOCIETY
Bourgeoisie
directly or indirectly control
productive property
Proletariat
do the actual labor of producing things.
Almost have no share of profit
MARX ON CAPITALISM
Marx sees a capitalist society as a split society
an economic system that oppressed the
working class
FALSE CONSCIOUSNESS
Marx described the situation in which the
working class cannot see they are being duped
or deceived as ‘false consciousness’
ANTONO GRAMSCI (1891-1937)
An Italian political theorist.
founder of the Italian Communist Party whose
ideas greatly influenced Italian communism.
He was renowned for his concept of Cultural
Hegemony
HEGEMONY
Is he way in which those in power maintain
control
preponderant influence or authority over
others.
GRAMSCI ON HEGEMONY
Antonio Gramsci is perhaps the theorist most
closely associated with the concept of
hegemony
uses “hegemony” to theorize for a successful
overthrow of the bourgeoisie by the proletariat
and its allies and the structure of bourgeoisie.
CULTURAL HEGEMONY
It is the dominance of one social group over
another
Is the concept that a culturally diverse society
can be ruled or dominated by one social class.
Gramsci argued that consent to the rule of the
dominant group is achieved by the spread of
ideologies—beliefs, assumptions, and values—
through social institutions
“If it isn’t popular, then it isn’t culture.”
Why should you care about pop culture? It has Theory
strong connections to education, mass
 Gender Theories
communication, and society’s ability to access
knowledge.  Mass Society

• Marxism & Hegemony

 technology  food  clothing  music 
Entertainment  sports  leisure  fads  • Cultural Liberalism
advertising
• Cultural Industry
Causes/Roots of Popular Culture
• Globalization of Culture
needs/necessities stipulated by the
• Liberal Pluralism
businessmen  dregs/residues  mass or
commercial culture  exercised/made by a man • Interactionism
or by a group of people  discipline of
Popular Culture & Gender
hegemony  melting/disappearance of
boundaries Gender Stereotyping
Characteristics of Popular Culture TV/Films/Literature/ Music/ Toys & Animation/
Celebrities/ Adverts/ Internet
for profit transgressive to categories spreads
through technology escalates to the notion of Films gender stereotype
sado-masochism from the primary
If you’re single you’re doomed! /Marriage is the
center/central
ultimate happiness/ The Alpha male/ The
FADS VS TRENDS weaker sex!

Short-lived interest in an aspect of culture  ADVERTISEMENT

Examples: clothings, hairstyles, toys  an
Homecare products and the housewife
interest in an aspect of culture that’s longer
stereotype/ Female body exploitation (male
lasting than a fad; affects a greater amount of
products)/ S t e r eotyping beauty (beauty
people  Example: iPods
products)/ Stereotyping masculinity (substance
ICON abuse)

a person or image generally looked up to (and TOYS AND ANIMATION

measured up to); almost everyone is familiar
BARBIE/CINDERELLA/BEN10/FROZEN/
with him/her/it Examples: Celebrities,
symbols ADS AGAINST GENDER STEREOTYPE

ADVANTAGE PLUZ SIZE MODEL/ WINNIE,WARIS AND

CARMEN
 Universal accessibility as a result of
commercialization  Perpetuating Patriarchy

DISADVANTAGE Exploitation of the Female Body

Sexual Debauchery
Distorts the cultural values.  Promotes a Homophobia
stereotyped way of life Body Image