1. Literature Review (Marxism Ideology)
This literature review will discuss Karl Marx’s approach to ideology and will understand his
methodologies by reviewing his school of thought to find out if it is relevant to media
conditions today. I will research three other academic sources on the topic of Marxist
ideology identifying the relationship between the different readings.
Ideology as a theory is a central concept to Marxist beliefs of society and literature. Ideology
on in its simplest level means “the study or knowledge of ideas” (Eagleton, 1994:1)
especially one that forms into the basis of theories politically. Ideology refers to a political
doctrine the concept that ideology is some sort of false thinking or subconscious opinions
something that all people in different cultures can do. Hence, Marx perceived the term
ideology as “distortions of reality (false consciousness) in the interest of a particular social
class, usually the ruling class.” (Adams, 1993:2). Which is a set of unconscious or conscious
beliefs implied by a certain group of people.
Moreover, the concept of ideology is outlined in the chapter The Ruling Class and the Ruling
Ideals in Marx and Engels book German Ideology (1932). In this chapter, Marx argues that
current ideas of a certain social class or society are to express the position of the ruling class
who have formed these prevailing ideas. As stated by Marx “The class which is the ruling
material force of society is at the same time its ruling intellectual force." (1974:64). Meaning
the society that is in control of the material production is also in control the “…mental
production” (Marx, 2006:9). We can see examples of this in today’s media text, films like
Aladdin (1992) show the wealthy do not get down and dirty with physical production like
the main protagonist of the film. Essentially the ruling class is a sector of the higher class of
a society that has the most wealth and resources and has the most influence over the other
social classes, as they decide and set. As people in our society are busy with their careers
and day-to-day lives, they take on the role as thinkers, a group of people who seemto be
subject experts who expand and promote those messages and “…conceptive ideology”.
(Marx, 2006:10). The ruling class has the power to spread these ideas. In present times, for
example funding blockbuster films reinforces the ideas of the ruling class.
These ideas developed by the ruling class “who make the formality of the illusions of the
class about itself”.(Marx, 2006:10). They are presented as universal truth as in a statement
that’s always right and in favour of the general public’s interest. For that reason, the ruling
class’s position are reinforced by ideas and that their position as though have just naturally
2. Literature Review (Marxism Ideology)
been created inside society. Simply Marx is stating that ideologies people hold onto have
been put there by material relations. The class that holds the most power which is usually
money can also have the power to shape the ideology of that society.
Similarly, Judith Williamson a journalist who studied cultural studies uses Marxist ideology
but expands on the theory with advertisements. She explores the theory that advertising
has no meaning but we the consumer create all the meaning. An advertised product
"initially has no meaning, must be given value by a person or object which already has a
value to us, i.e., already means." (Williamson, 1978:31). She details the functions and
appealing natures of advertisements, seeing their ideological function and how
advertisements have affected media society in the modern times. The first chapter of the
book examines a series of different illustrations of advertisements from the 1950’s-1970’s to
find out their ideological function and how it changes individuals ideology and the society
they live in. As outlined in her, book Decoding Advertisements: Ideology and Meaning in
Advertising (1978). Her argument is that advertisements serve another purpose, that there
is an advert behind the actual advertisement, to subconsciously get people ideologies with
different messages. Her argument is still relevant today as the advertisements she analysed
are not hugely different from today standards. Her idea and model to contemporary
advertisements today still fits.
In comparison, Judith Williamson’s decoding advertisement book has similarities to Marx’s
The Ruling Class and the Ruling Ideals (1932). Both have connections of using ideology as a
set of unconscious or conscious beliefs implied by a certain group of people. Judith
Williamson’s argument reinforces Marx’s ruling class argument that “the class which is the
ruling material force of society is at the same time its ruling intellectual force." (2004:64).
Williamson’s point is that a group people which is the ruling class are subconsciously getting
people’s ideologies with different messages along with that actual promotion of a product
or service. For example one of the print advertisements she analyses is an advert of
Catherine Deneuve doing a photo-shoot and adding the perfume bottle while she is trying to
look desirable and attractive promotes the idea that the perfume bottle made her look like
at that. In reality, it is just the meaning, images and lifestyle that people want through the
labels of the product.
3. Literature Review (Marxism Ideology)
In addition, another theorist who advances his idea of ideology is French Marxist Louis
Althusser. As outlined in his essay Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses (1970).
Althusser argued his own theory of ideology by elaborating on Marx’s original theory of
ideology as mainly false consciousness. In his essay, he describes the arrangements of
“…productive forces” (Althusser, 2001:33) and production are reproduced and preserved in
a society. According to Althusser, the wage-systemensures the reproduction of the
productive forces stay where they are by being paid a minimum amount so the working
class will have to work every day but also not raise in status. Althusser has connections to
Marx’s work by reiterating his theory but ultimately also differs from him by coming up with
theory of his own. Marx’s ideology is that a major “set of beliefs and values existent within
society, which sustained power relations.” (Nelmes, 1996:489). Althusser’s ideology is
“representations and images which reflect society’s view of reality.” (Nelmes, 1996:489).
To conclude, I think all works connect together using ideology as a list of ideas and
“Values which inform any one society or culture, but which are imbued in its social
behaviour and representative texts at a level that is not necessarily obvious or
conscious.”(Nelmes, 1996:489).
I think Marx’s ideology is still relevant in today’s society and media standards. Society today
is divided by class probably even more now than in Marx’s time. He was able to predict how
capitalism works and ideologies of social classes today by capitalismwould eventually be
less progressive. He being able to explain ideologies of society pre-capitalismshows his
relevance today.
4. Literature Review (Marxism Ideology)
“The class which is the ruling material force of society is at the same time its ruling
intellectual force." German ideology2004:64
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Adams, I. (1993) ‘Political Ideology Today’. Manchester University Press.
Colin, C. (2001) ‘Performance Analysis’. Routledge
Durham, G.M., Kellner, M.D. (2006) ‘Media and Cultural Studies: Keyworks’. Blackwell
Publishing.
Eagleton, T. (1994) ‘Ideology’. Routledge
Marx, K., Engels, F. (1974) ‘The German ideology’. London, Lawrence & Wishart.
Nelmes, J. (1996) ‘An Introduction to Film Studies’. Routledge
Williamson, J. (1978) ‘Decoding Advertisements: Ideology and Meaning in Advertising.’
London Marion Boyars
FILMOGRAPHY:
Aladdin (1992) Directed by Ron Clements & John Musker [Online] Available through Netflix.
[Accessed on 17th October 2018]
Chapterinthe bibliographyorjustbook/
6-9 quotes
Intro- introduce whatyou’re goingtodo inthisessaysuch as I will discussKarl Marx conceptof
ideology.to explore hisconceptsandunderstandhismethodologiesandtodissect/review Marxs’s
school of thoughtto findout itsrelevance tomediaconditionstoday.
Intro- Brief summaryof what ideologyisintermsof marx’stheory
Main- Explainhisbook The Ruling Class and the Ruling ideals. Main Arguments? How theoryused?
Main- final statementsoranalysisof hisbook
Main- Introduce anotheracademicbook.Finda link whichisthattheybothtalk aboutideology in
theirbooks.Thenintroduce thatbook
5. Literature Review (Marxism Ideology)
Main- Findthe connections anddifferencesinthatbooktokarl marx’sbook
Main- Then introduce anotheracademicbookthat’stalksaboutideologyandlinkittomarx’sbook
by findingsimilaritiesanddifferentopinions.
Conc- Draw all the bookstogether.IsMarxistideologytheorystillrelevantintodaymedia
standards?Explainwhyitisor not but mostlylikelyis.Thengive movie examplesthatyoucanapply
the theorywith
