Neo-Marxism

Question 1

neo-maxism - main focus

Answer 1

peoples ideas, meanings and actions bring about revolutionary change
people have free will
political ideas > economic factors

Question 2

neo-marxism - humanistic neo-marxism

Answer 2

gramsci

peoples ideas have relative autonomy: superstructure os society has some independence from economic base

Question 3

neo-marxism - hegemony (humanistic)

Answer 3

dominance in society of the ruling class’s ideas over others

emphasis role of ideas justifies their actions rather than the economy

Question 4

neo-marxism - why haven’t the working-class rebelled against the ruling class?

Answer 4

they’ve failed to develop their own alternative version of society
the dominant ideology controls them not the repressive agencies of the state

Question 5

neo-marxism - structuralist neo-marxism

Answer 5

althusser’s structure of capitalist society:
economic level - economy & production of material good
political level - repressive state apparatus
ideological level - ideological state apparatus

Question 6

neo-marxism - repressive state apparatus

Answer 6

part of the state concerned with repression
physical means of keeping a population in line
e.g police, prisons

Question 7

neo-marxism - ideological state apparatus

Answer 7

institutions that speed the dominant ideology

justify the power of the dominant class

Question 8

neo-marxism - criticisms

Answer 8

• underplays importance of the economy in shaping social reality
• gramsci over-emphasises role of ideas & under-emphasises role of material factors in preventing a revolution