Neo-Marxism and inequality Flashcards
Weaknesses of traditional Marxism
- Economically deterministic – no gender or ethnicity taken into consideration the focus is on class
- Failed as a predictive theory
- Didn’t consider the growth of the middle class – many are comfortable or happy with capitalism
Who sparked Neo-Marxism?
- N/M emerged as it became clear Marxism had failed as a predictive theory
- Working class people had not developed class consciousness and created the revolution Marx had claimed they would
The failure of Marxism as a predictive theory
- N/M is focused largely focused on explaining the growth of the middle classes and changing nature of the class system, stripping the proletariat of it’s revolutionary potential
- It is more multi-dimensional
Antonia Gramsci
- Argued ruling classes had dominance over norms + values, people don’t question
- Cultural hegemony maintained in 2 way:
Coercion – the army police and prison and courts of the state enforce the working class to accept r/c dominance
Consent (hegemony) – the ruling class use ideas and values to persuade the subordinate classes their rule is legitimate
How would Strinati criticise Gramsci?
It appears too simplistic and ignores complexity of society
Altusser
Society consists of two forms of social organisation that oppress the poor
Repressive state apparatus (RSA), which dominates the working class through the exercise of power and violence
Ideological state apparatus (ISA), institutions such as family, media, education and religion
= role is to train us to accept capitalism
How do Goundner and Thompson criticise Altusser?
Ignores the active struggles of the working class, little evidence to support his theory and not a full explanation
Poulantaz
Argued capitalism did not deliberately try and control society but obtained consent
By giving w/c some of their demands (minimum wage or protection by law for health and safety), workers believe Capitalists are on their side
How is Poulantaz criticised
His focus was on how to achieve a socialist revolution, outdated
Miliband
- Capitalist governments or state control peoples live
- Meritocracy and quality of opportunity were myth
The media acts as the opium of the people, keeping them passive
How does Frankfurt School support Milliband?
The media had turned into commodity which could be bought and sold as a drug which taught the poor to accept ruling class ideas uncritically
Criticisms of Frankfurt School
X Assumes we are passive, cannot reject the media’s message
X Doesn’t consider the complexity of the modern world
Braveman
Deskilling of society – whereby more power is given to owners to hire and fire thus increasing their own wealth at expense of the working class
Erik Olin Wright
- Social classes are not polarizing as Marx said, but increasing
- The middle classes are exploited by Capitalism: the work process, other workers, production
- Become the tools of owners
Society is becoming less equal
Statistic?
100 people have the same wealth as 18 million
