Karl Marx believed that society is divided into two main classes: the bourgeoisie who own the means of production and exploit the proletariat workforce. Antonio Gramsci expanded on this by introducing the concept of cultural hegemony to explain how the ruling class maintains power through manipulating culture and ideology to present their views as common sense, gaining consent rather than ruling solely through force. When applied to media, Marxists argue media institutions are owned by the bourgeoisie and used to indoctrinate the masses into accepting capitalism while distracting them from their exploitation.

1. MARXISM&HEGEMONY
•Media Issues and Debates

2. How much
money do you
have on you
right now?

3. If I was to take and share it equally
between you, what would you think?

4. an economic and political system in which a country's
trade and industry are controlled by private owners for
profit, rather than by the state.

5. In the most simple terms...
• Capitalism is the idea that everyone has to make their
own money and what you earn should be yours.
A capitalist person wants to be richer than everyone
else.. Where as a communist person wants to be the
same as everyone else.
• Benefits ‘the rich’
• Makes life difficult for ‘the poor’

6. Karl Marx believed that there are two fundamental classes:
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.
MARXISM

7. Who are the bourgeoisie?

8. MARXISM&MASS MEDIA
Marx’s ideas have been applied to the
media in contemporary society to
suggest that the world constructed in
most mainstream media contributes to
persuading the proletariat to accept
capitalism as natural and inevitable,
whilst simultaneously distracting them
from complaining about exploitation.
(Source: AQA Textbook)
“The ruling ideas of each age have ever
been the ideas of its ruling class”
The Communist Manifesto (1848)

9. Why don’t we over throw the Government?
Why do we follow procedures and rules?

10. HEGEMONY
Antonio Gramsci was a leading Italian Marxist however he 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
(or more specifically ‘Cultural Hegemony’)to describe how the ruling class
dominate other classes by manipulating the culture of a society in order
to present their view as being “common sense” or just “the way things
are”. The ruling class cannot rule by force alone and rely on the ‘consent’
of the proletariat. So rather than question a system that clearly does not
benefit them they are convinced that the dominant ideology is the only
ideology. This is sometimes referred to as “Ruling by Consent”
In other words, hegemony is the process
for which the ruling classes enforce
dominant ideologies on the proletariat.

11. Can you think of any examples of
dominant ideologies that we are
encouraged to believe relating to the
following?
• Ethnicity, Age, Gender, Nationality, Class, Religion,
Family, Politics

12. Some dominant ideologies
•
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.
Capitalism. The production of capital
and consumption of surplus value as
a life goal.
Male superiority. Men are more
suited to positions of power,
and more suited to decision-
making at work and at home.

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

14. • Can you summarise Marxism and Hegemony?
• Who are the bourgeoisie and who are the
proletariat in a modern, British society?
• Can you find examples of Hegemony in:
• The coverage of Brexit and immigration
• Advertising