Neo-Marxism

Question 1

Concept 1 Hegemony

Answer 1

• Hegemony : Leadership / dominance
• People are coerced in to accepting ideas of capitalism by their leaders through state force + acceptance of inequality as inevitable
• In order to overcome inequality, people’s way of thinking should be changed
• Believed in dual consciousnesses ie aware of exploitation but accept it because its easier
• To reduce inequality, counted hegemony needs to emerge (leadership based on morality)
• People who do this are organic intellectual (intelligent wc)

Question 2

Evaluation of Hegemony

Answer 2

Positive : Willis’ learning to labour highlights the WC can challenge authority and see through unfairness
Negative : Neglects the fact that many people prefer capitalism and neglects how influential the state is

Question 3

Structural Marxism

Answer 3

• Society is based on 3 structures :
  1. economic structure of employment + finances
  2. Political structure of gov. and laws
  3. ideological structure of people’s attitudes + beliefs
• Not all aspects of society are influenced by the economy instead political and ideological systems have the power to shape the wider economic system eg employment policies
• Capitalist ideas are maintained through 2 apparatuses
  1. Repressive state apparatus (institutions which forcibly control behaviour eg prisons)
  2. Ideological state apparatus (Shape the way people perceive and accept capitalism eg media and education)
• Social change will only occur when the structures of society collapse eg economic recession

Question 4

Evaluation of structural marxsim

Answer 4

• Gouldner criticises Althusser for discouraging political activism
• His theory can be seen as overly deterministic eg behaviours aren’t solely shaped by state apparatus