34) MARXISM AND MY PRODUCT

MARXISM

Below are my notes on 'Marxism' copied up onto my blog in more detail...

WHAT TEXTS

Marxist theory can be applied particularly to any text which is about consuming other products. Adverts and promotional material are obvious examples. In my case it would be a teaser trailer for a film which acts as promotional material.

Marxist critics would be interested in how such texts:

• Promote consumerism
• Support and perpetuate capitalist ideology
• Maintain the existing system of power

Karl Marx

BACKGROUND

Marxism developed from the work of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, co-writers of the Communist Manifesto in 1848.

They looked for logical, scientific explanations of society, rather than spiritual or religious ones.

Marx and Engels saw history not as a succession of monarchs and dynasties, but as a continuing struggle for power between different classes.

They defined classes by their relationship to the means of production.

They saw the main struggle in their time as being between capitalists and the working class.

IDEOLOGY AND HEGEMONY

Antonio Gramsci

An ideology is the sum of the values, outlook, assumptions and shared ideas of a group of people. Louis Althusser defined it as “a system of representations at the heart of a given society”. In other words, a view from the whole world.

A dominant ideology is one which works in the interests of the ruling class, keeping them in power.

It will work against the interests of other classes by persuading them that the conditions of their existence are natural and inevitable; obscuring how those conditions might be changed and concealing the interest of the ruling class in preventing change.

Italian Marxist, Antonio Gramsci called this form of social control hegemony.

CAPITALISM

Interesting quote I found to represent Capitalism

Some definitions to understand Capitalism better...

Capitalism is based on the drive of the owners of the means of production to maximise the profits of their companies. 

Modern Industrial Capitalism is founded on the belief that the pursuit of individual economic self-interest will bring benefits for society generally. 

Marxism sees it as the exploitation of one social class by another. Mainly the workers, by the manufacturers.

EXAMPLES

Car Advert

In economic terms the advertisement aims to maximise the profits of the manufacturer and the actual advert agency.

A Marxist critic would note that it suggests the product has come out of nowhere and it ignores the process of production and the role of workers.

In ideological terms the advert promotes consumerism and assumes that people are naturally acquisitive and competitive.

BRANDS

• We are no longer buying just the product, but the brand 

• In aligning our identity and the brand’s identity, we buy into its ideology
• Part of the Nike ideology is clearly capitalism
• Nike no longer sees itself as a sports shoe or clothing manufacturer, but as a brand, a way of marketing and selling.

RELATING TO MY PRODUCT

This is how I went about deciding whether my product could subvert or encourage the marxist theory...

My product is commerce, so I followed that route.

1. My text does promote another media product. The trailer advertises the release of a new film.

2. My product conceals the economic conditions of the product it promotes. It promotes a new film, therefore the attention is drawn towards the film product and money is made on the film.

3. It promotes consumerism. Trailers are a brilliant way to market your product. They want to draw the audiences attention in so they buy the film of which is a very popular consumer product.

4. It does support dominant capitalist ideology. The trailers are created as a way of making people buy your film. You can reach out to your audience through social media and online to promote your product all for the simple reason to maximise the profits and grow your company.

5. In ways my product does contribute towards hegemony because it is taking a form of control over the audience. The company is the dominant force here, producing a product which influence people to buy into the final product. In terms of social groups, the films target audience would be the ones being controlled.

6. I would say my text is well-established and ideologically comforting. This is because it is not forceful kind of text which gives out demands and unsettles its audience. It is there and provides a peaceful way of controlling its consumers.

7. I think my product can be an example of incorporation to an extent. This is because the trailer tries to subordinate its audience and persuades them to purchase products. Audiences are seen as oppositional but my text would not rob them of their meanings.

I would say my text challenges capital ideology because after all, the whole point of the trailer is to 'tease' the audience and persuade them to purchase. In a marxists point of view it would be seen as maximising profits and ignoring production, they will assume people are naturally acquisitive.