Marxism Flashcards
How do Marxists characterise society?
- It is conflict between the ruiling and subordinate class
- Spectacular youth subcultures are seen as reactions to wider societal conflicts
What was the role of the CCCS?
- It was set up in the 1960s - 70s in Birmingham university to investigate how young people challenged the problems of capitalism such as high unemployment, inner city decay, racial tensions and strike
- They were neo - Marxists
- It can be criticised as they gave too much credit to the working class
What is the link between spectacular youth subcultures and the economy?
- The differences between subcultures can be described by looking at different classes and economic situation of those who joined each subculture
- Style challenges socioeconomic problems as it created moral panics surrounding the threat of traditional values
- de - industrialisation caused the loss of working class identity causing many youths to rebel
What is CCCS Clarke and Hebdige (1976) theory on youth subcultures?
They believe spectacular youth subcultures are a reaction to the threat of the loss of working class identity through de - industrialisation. They don’t consider that contemporary youths don’t get involves in spectacular youth subcultures so it is outdated
What do Marxists Hall and Jefferson (1976) argue?
Youth subcultures form in the crises of capitalism of high unemployment, low wages, inner city decline and racist oppression to resist and reject the dominant culture
What is bricolage?
To describe how different groups are re - ordered and rearranged through style to communicate new meanings
What does Clarke (1976) believe about skinheads?
Skinhead culture and style can be seen as an exaggerated version of working class masculinity as they stressed violence, wore manual worker clothes (bovver boots, rolled up jeans and suspenders) and territory as most emerged in fear of losing their identity
How do Cohen and Clarke define skinheads?
- An exaggerated attempt to recreate traditional notions of lost working class communities to urbanisation, individualism m, improved living conditions and deindustrialisation
- Their value system, behaviour and dress stem from working class values such as loyalty, toughness, masculinity and a sense of territory
How does Brake (1980) use the concept of magical solutions?
Youth subcultures provide magical solutions to the lives of its members as it gives safety, freedom, experimentation away from the eyes of their parents. It can be criticised as their problems aren’t solved
How are the Teddy boys characterised?
- exaggerated middle class style allowed them to express the changing social situation and a sense of community
- insults to their style was met with violence especially towards African Caribbeans leading to race riots
- took inspiration from edwardians, Chicago gangsters and zoot suits
- snack bars, cinemas, coffee bars and dance halls were popular
- it led to the association of youth with deviance (Bradley) and Bennet argues the growth of consumer culture through their high disposable income (Jefferson 1976)
- teddy girls was occasionally used to define American circle skirts however Thornton (1995) argued they lacked income and had increased social control characterising them as passive girl friends (Mcrobbie and Garbner 1976)
How can punks be characterised?
- Punk fashion became part of mainstream fashion
- claim to be anarchists to challenge the ruling class
- Frith (1978) suggests that punks were entirely working class youths reacting to their social environment
- they attacked pop based music establishments through the sex pistols, slits and ramones
- anti - establishment
- brake (1980) explained punks as being cross - class drawing followers from the lower middle class and working class who wanted to shock and make a social and political statement through style
- they are associated with tartan, zips, safety pins and anti - social behaviour to shock mainstream fashion
- hebidge argues they challenged the social, moral and economic decline
What is Bonger (1916) theory in criminality?
Crime is caused by capitalism as the values it promotes (individualism, greed and competitiveness) leaves inequalities forcing them to pursue these values illegally
What are white - collar crimes?
Crime committed in the course of legitimate employment such as managers or accountants within an organisation who can use their job to evade detection
What does Gordon (1973) argue?
Capitalism is crimogenic suggesting crime is a rational response to the values of capitalism, and that theses values encourage criminal behaviour amongst the rich (white collar crime an corporate crime) and the poor (theft to make money)
What is Gramsci’s concept of hegemony?
The ruiling class has an ideological dominance over the subordinate class through the manipulation of media such as individuality
