Neo-Marxism (Frankfurt School) Flashcards
Who were the major neo-Marxists in the Frankfurt School?
Marcuse, Adorno and Horkheimer
What did they call Marx?
An economic determinist - believed society was determined by the economic system, argued that people’s ideas and motivations are more important than Marx acknowledges
What were the three elements of their critique?
Instrumental reason - Adorno said Marx failed to explore the motivation between why people accepted capitalism
Mass culture - Marcuse argued that Marx ignored the importance of the media in controlling the population
The oppression of personality - in the early stages of capitalism pleasure and desire were suppressed (eg puritanical values of Victorian England), but now these desires re emphasised to make a profit - eg from sex appeal - our wants and desires are manipulated by capitalism in its own interests
What did Althusser say that society was made up of? (Three interlocking elements)
The economic system - material goods
The political system - organising society
The ideological system - provides ideas and beliefs
Economic system has ultimate control but political and ideological system have relative autonomy - society is more contradictory than Marx suggests so the move towards communism is unclear
What did Althusser say the state was made out of?
Two elements - repressive state apparatuses (police and army)
Ideological state apparatuses (subtle organisations - education, media and religious organisations)
Both work for the ultimate benefit of capitalism but they vary in how they perform this task with some contradictions
Which theory does Harvey use?
Develops Marxism within a postmodernist framework
What does Harvey suggest?
Postmodernism end globalisation have presented challenges to communism. It has developed new sources of profit through the creation of new areas of commerce - flexible accumulation - especially through the manipulation of identity (fashion, travel, music) and the marketing of goods
Which changes does Harvey say have affected capitalism?
National governments less powerful - change is now at the global level Real political discourse has been replaced by image politics - what appears to happen is more important than what actually happens Social class as the dominant form of division between members of societies has been partly replaced by divisions linked to gender, ethnicity, religion, and alternative political movements (eg Green Party)
What did Weber suggest?
Struggle was about competing for status and political power as well as economic resources. Groups may also form bases on similar status (eg occupational, ethnic and religious groups) and there may be different status groups within an economic class. To understand inequality we should consider class, status and party.
What was Adorno’s theory?
Instrumental reason - Marx failed to explore the motivation behind why people accepted capitalism
What was Marcuse’s theory?
Mass media - Marx ignored its importance
Oppression of personality (in Victorian times) replaced with re-emphasis and manipulation of desires to make a profit
What did Harvey theorise?
Capitalist responded to globalism by manipulation of identity - he calls this flexible accumulation (postmodern Neo marxist)
What did Althusser say Marx ignored?
Humans has relative autonomy - society is more complex than Marx says
