Marxism: Globalisation

Question 1

Marxist perspective

Answer 1

• Argues that digital communication is not new but just a different form of communication
• Says the effects have been exaggerated by postmodernists and other sociologists
• Media convergence has allowed capitalists more ways to shape people’s ideas and encourage the acceptance of capitalism

Question 2

Cornford and Robins:

Answer 2

• Sociologists argue that digital communication is presented as a new form of democratic and open communication which leads to greater equality.
• Cornford and Robbins say that people who own and control digital media are capitalists who want to make profit and ideologically control the masses
• They say that media is a source of profit and control

Question 3

Media ownership: Rupert Murdoch

Answer 3

• An example of media ownership is Murdoch media
• Controls over a 1/5 of UK news consumption
• Shows that the rich and capitalist has control over the majority of media that we consume

Question 4

De-regulation of the media and digital communication:

Answer 4

• There is a lack of regulation of digital communication
• Digital communications are mediated by private companies which means there are fewer laws governing moral responsibility
• There is a lack of social control as a result of digital communication

Question 5

Digital communication and surveillance:

Answer 5

• Marxists argue that digital communication is a form of surveillance and observation as a way to control people in the interests of the wealthy
• Private companies gather information on people’s use of social media without their knowledge or consent
• This means that digital communication threatens individual liberty and freedom

Question 6

Cornford and Robbins: Surveillance

Answer 6

• Digital communication is a way of capitalism controlling people more subtly through their use of social media
• This is under the guise of protecting people from criminal acts
• These forms of communication are not fully understood by the consumer which challenges people’s right to privacy

Question 7

Snowden report:

Answer 7

• Snowden report was created by a national security agent who revealed the widespread misuse of surveillance of digital forms of communication
• The report provided evidence that the US and British governments had been accessing personal and private communications
• They claimed that it was in the interests of ‘national security’

Question 8

Evaluation of marxism;

Answer 8

Globalisation has resulted in class becoming just one part of many factors that shape our identity.

Digital forms of communication allow the ruling class to be challenged through interactive participation such as the news. This gives a voice to lower classes as well.

There have been examples of where digital forms of communication have led to social protest. This shows that digital forms of communication can lead to social protest which undermines the view that digital media is only in the interests of the powerful.