This document discusses Marxism and the concept of hegemony. It explains that Marxism is based on Karl Marx's writings responding to inequality in the Industrial Revolution. Marx argued that society is divided into two classes - the proletariat and the bourgeoisie, with the latter exploiting the former for profit. Gramsci expanded on this by introducing the idea of hegemony to describe how the ruling class maintains power through manipulating culture and ideology to present their views as common sense, convincing the proletariat to accept the status quo. The document then discusses how hegemony applies to mass media institutions, which serve to propagate the ruling class's ideological interests.

1. Marxism is based on the writings of
19th Century philosopher and
social activist Karl Marx.
His writings were a response to the
extremes of poverty and
exploitation he witnessed in the
years after the British Industrial
Revolution.
Marxism and
Hegemony
Das Kapital (1867) argues and
highlights that there are two
fundamental classes:
- The Proletariat
- The Bourgeoisie

2. The Two Classes
Marxism
 The Proletariat – Workers who have to
sell their labour to survive
 The Bourgeoisie – The ruling class, own
the means of production (i.e
Factories), property or wealth
Marx argued that in capitalist systems the bourgeoisie
dominates and exploits the proletariat in pursuit of
profit.
He also suggested that ideology, values and beliefs are
important in persuading the proletariat to accept the
power of the bourgeoisie.

3. Marxism and
Hegemony
Marxist, Antonio Gramsci
disagreed with the Marxist view of
how the ruling class maintained
their status and power.
He considered why given the
inequality of capitalism the
Proletariat did not simply rise up
and revolt.
He came up with the concept
of Hegemony to describe how
the ruling class dominate other
classes by manipulating the
culture so they present their
view as being “common sense”
They are convinced that the
dominant ideology is the only
ideology.

4.  “Any dominant
ideology in any
society presents
itself as the ideology
of that society as a
whole. Its work is to
deny the legitimacy
of alternative and
oppositional
ideologies”
 Dyer (1979)
Hegemony
Ideology is not
necessarily a fixed
set of ideas and is in
a constant state of
flux. Its common
goal however
remains the same;
to maintain the
status quo of the
dominant class.

5. Hegemony
Capitalism.
The production of capital
and consumption of surplus
value as a life goal.

6. Hegemony
Patriotism.
To love, support and protect
one’s country and its people.
Marriage and family. The
“right way” to live is to marry
an opposite-sex partner and
have children.

7. Hegemony
Male superiority.
Men are more suited to
positions of power, and more
suited to decision-making at
work and at home.

8. THE MEDIA
How do the two link
together and how does this
apply to my media
product?

9. The Media
The theory claims that the ideas
of the ruling class come to be
seen as the norm; they are seen
as universal ideologies,
perceived to benefit everyone
whilst only really benefiting the
ruling class

10. The Media
Social institutions like the mass media play
a key role in ensuring that the working
class remain happy with their situation
despite the inherent unfairness of the
system.
- The mass media make sure that the
subordinates receive a certain underlying
message of capitalism being positive
- In Marxist terms, ideology can ultimately
be identified as the lies, deceptions and
misinformation given to the working
classes in order to maintain the state of
‘false consciousness’.

11. The Media
When Marxists apply this ideology to the
mass media they will argue:
• The mass media are owned by the ruling
classes (e.g. Rupert Murdoch, Richard
Branson)
• These institutions indoctrinate the masses
into believing capitalism is positive
• Media industry workers are exploited just
as other workers
• …therefore the mass media exists to
serve the ideological interests of the ruling
class.

12. Production
My audience will be the upper
class which means that they are
not effected by the ideologies in
the media.
However, they will also not be
exposed to those in the working
class
I wouldn’t use the working class
when trying to attract the upper
class because it would not work

13. My audience
(the upper
class) accept
and use the
ideologies to
shut out those
who don’t
have access to
means of
production
My production
promotes
ideologies of:
• Entrepreneur-ialship
• Free-market
• Capitalism
Production

14. Production
It APPEARS that the message is
that anyone can start their
own business but ACTUALLY
only it is only open to those
who have the sufficient means
of funding to create their own
business.
THIS IS HEGEMONY