Applying Marxism: blog task

1) What does Marxism suggest regarding power in society?
Marxism suggests that power within society is controlled by the rich or elite, they control the poorer and or working class by controlling the means of production, due to this the poor can never have the ability to gain the means of production resulting in the poor getting poorer and the rich getting richer.

 2) Why is The Apprentice a good example of the media reinforcing capitalist values and ideologies?
The apprentice gives the public the idea of wanting to be capitalistically rich without them knowing so, not only this but the apprentice supports two other ideologies, the growth of private corporations and the ideology that hard work gets you success.

 3) Come up with three examples of media texts (e.g. TV programmes, newspapers etc.) thateither 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'.)
  • Only Fools and Horses 
  • Friends
  • The Sun

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

There are a few instances of Marxism ideologies present in Capital, and most of these instances are present within the story arch of one of the main characters Quentina, an illegal immigrant in the UK, the idea that being a member of the mass is a good thing is present in capital through Quentina as her main goal is to try to blend in with the local community and to make a living. Another instance supports meaningless challenges to the base through the deportation she faces from local authorities, her slight moment of resistance shows her challenge but she accepts predicament gets taken.  

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