Marxism and Hegemony

Task 1: Mail Online review of Capital

1) Why does the "Mail Online" review suggest that Capital features a left-wing ideology?

Capital features storylines which focus on the mass population, the working class and the struggles for equality. 'The hardest worker on the street was an illegal immigrant, determined to pay her way and not touch a penny of benefits.

2) Choose three quotes from the review that are particularly critical of Capital.

. 'But that concept went nowhere' 

. 'The last 20 minutes contained no plot'

. 'The residents were bemused, but not scared'

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

By the way they 'operate,' the Kamal family promotes left-wing philosophies. They are a close-knit, working-class family who place a strong emphasis on family and community. All of the members assist in the store because they are the only employees - most likely due to lower costs - and face numerous challenges as a minority.

4) What about the other side of the argument - are there any aspects of Capital that reinforce the status quo in capitalist London?

Roger is dissatisfied with his bonus, saying, "What good is $30K to anyone?" Anyone else would want his lifestyle, demonstrating how greedy and ungrateful he is. Because all of the characters live on the same street, the show emphasises the stark contrast between the middle and working classes.


Task 2: Media Factsheet - Applying Marxism 

1) What does Marxism suggest regarding power in society?

Because they had access to capital and could use their money and power to generate more wealth, a small group of individuals exercised power. The masses were reliant on the elite for survival because they lacked the ability to create for themselves. The elite demanded that the masses acknowledge their powerlessness as workers.

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

It's a good example because Sugar's absolute power strengthens the capitalist elite's "superior" position. He has power because he has amassed wealth through the system, and he is seen using that power to provide a living for the competition winner. The winning qualities are those that are rewarded by show success, and they can be seen as contributing to the creation of a false consciousness about the personality types that are valued within the capitalist system.

3) Come up with three examples of media texts that either fetishise working class life  or demonise working class life or poor people.

. Peaky Blinders

. Eastenders

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