Summary
Summary Neo-Marxism and Social Inequality
Neo-Marxism and Social Inequality
[Show more]
Connected book
Book Title:
Author(s):
- Edition:
- ISBN:
- Edition:
Content preview
Neo-Marxist theories of inequality- Neo-Marxism- refers to any theory that aims to update, extend or develop
traditional Marxist theory
- Neo-Marxism emerged as it became clear that Marxism had failed as a predicative
theory- working-class people had not developed class consciousness ad created the
revolution as Marx had claimed they would
Neo-Marxism and economic determinism
- Economic determinism- economic relationships between capitalists and working
class is reason for social inequality
- Neo-Marxists reject economic determinism-look at ideas such as ideology and access
to power in order to explain structural inequality
- Many neo-Marxists have focused their research on the ownership and control of the
media
Gramsci
- Argued that bourgeoisie were able to rule society and make inequality acceptable
because they controlled both economy and also creation of ideas about society
- Ruling class create a situation whereby the majority of people agree to their ideas
without question (do this through institutions e.g. education and religion)-
HEGEMONY
- Criticism: Strinati- too simple and ignores complexity of society
Althusser
- Society consists of two forms of sociological organisations that oppress the poor:
1. Repressive State Apparatus- dominates from physical force / violence- police,
military etc.
2. Ideological State Apparatus- reinforce rule of capitalist class through creation
and maintenance of ideas which teach people to think unquestionably about
capitalism (family, education, media)
- Criticism: little specific evidence to support- Althusser himself suggested these ideas
didn’t explain inequality completely
Frankfurt School
- Interested in importance of media and propaganda in influencing people’s attitudes
- Suggested media had turned culture into commodity that could be bought and sold
in the same way as a manufactured product
- Acts as a drug, teaching poor to accept ideas of the ruling class uncritically
Nicos Poulantzas
- Argued that capitalism did not deliberately try and control society but instead
obtained consent of some groups in order to control and govern them
- By giving working people some demands (e.g. minimum wage / health and safety
laws) so workers believe that capitalists are on their side
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller ncarlin1998. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £4.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
60434 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 14 years now