This document provides an overview of Marxist perspectives on print media. It introduces key Marxist concepts such as cultural materialism, commodification, capitalism, and class struggle. It explains that according to Marxist theory, culture is a product of economic conditions and will represent the values of the most powerful social class. Print media are viewed as products of capitalism that treat ideas and people as commodities for making money. Society is seen as structured by ongoing conflict between the ruling and working classes, which affects all aspects of media and culture. Students are assigned to analyze magazine covers from this Marxist viewpoint.

1. Print media: critical perspectives
LO: understand and apply Marxist perspectives on Print
Media
Starter: look at these terms. Discuss with your partner
what they might mean/where you may have come across
them before.
CULTURAL MATERIALISM COMMODIFICATION
MARXISM
SOCIAL CLASS
CAPITALISM
THE BOURGEOISIE
THE PROLETARIAT

2. Karl Marx
• German Philosopher, 1818-1883
• Interested in capitalism and what he saw as its
inherently destructive effect upon people
• He believed that capitalism was
unfair, immoral and dehumanising
• Inspired the ‘Marxist School’ of media theory.

3. Key perspectives of the Marxist School of media
theory
•
•
•
•
“Cultural materialism”
The culture of a society will be a direct product of
its economic (‘material’) conditions
Culture will therefore mostly represent the values
of the most powerful group (or ‘class’) of people
in society
Marxist media theorists regard media products as
a product of capitalism
They are interested in using an understanding of
capitalism to make sense of the media, and vice
vera.

4. Key perspectives of the Marxist School of media
theory
Commodification of ideas and people
• Because capitalist societies are driven by
money, ideas and people are often treated as
‘commodities’ (object used to make money)
• This has a ‘dehumanising’ effect on people
and their relationships on one another

5. Key perspectives of the Marxist School of media
theory
Class struggle
• Our society is structured by an on-going
conflict between the ruling class (the middle
class, or ‘bourgeoisie’) and all other classes
(most importantly the working class, or
‘proletariat’).
• This conflict affects everything.

6. How can we understand these magazines
in terms of…
1. Capitalism,
2. “Cultural materialism”,
3. Commodification of ideas and people,
4. Class struggle?

7. Paired assignment
Look at the magazine cover you have been
given. How can it be understood from a Marxist
perspective?
•
•
•
•
Capitalism
“Cultural materialism”
Commodification of ideas and people
Class struggle

8. Homework – Due Tue first week back
Analyse a magazine cover of your choice from a
Marxist perspective. How can the magazine
cover be understood in terms of:
• Capitalism
• Cultural materialism
• Commodification of ideas and people
• Class struggle