Neo Marxism

Define ‘hegemony’

Gramsci argued that the ruling class maintains control not only through force but through ideological leadership, known as hegemony. This means the dominance of ruling class ideas and values in society, which are accepted by the majority as common sense

Define ‘voluntarism’

Humanistic Marxists believe individuals have agency (free will). The working class choose to accept ruling class ideology, often without realising its against their interests

What are the 2 ways ruling class dominance is maintained?

• Coercion

• Consent

R/C dominance is maintained → Coercion

Through the use of institutions like the army, police, courts and prisons to physically enforce control over the w/c

R/C dominance is maintained → Consent

Through social institutions (eg education, media) the r/c spreads its ideology to persuade other classes that its ideas are legitimate

What are the 2 ways ruling class hegemony is never complete?

• Minority status of the ruling class

• Dual consciousness (Gramsci)

R/C hegemony is incomplete → Minority status of the r/c

As a small group, they must form alliances (power blocs) with other classes (eg middle class) to maintain dominance

R/C hegemony is incomplete → Dual consciousness (Gramsci)

Working class individuals can become aware of their exploitation. While they are influenced by bourgeois ideology, their lived experiences can reveal contradictions in the system

What are ‘organic intellectuals’?

These are class conscious individuals from the working class who help create an alternative, revolutionary ideology (counter hegemony), usually through a political party aiming to challenge and overthrow ruling class dominance

Structural neo marxism (Althusser)

• Repressive state apparatus = Institutions like the police, military and criminal justice system, which use force to maintain control

• Ideological state apparatus = Institutions like education, family, religion and media, which manipulate consciousness and promote ruling class ideology

What are the 3 levels of structural determinism?

• Economic level

• Political level

• Ideological level

Structural determinism → Economic level

All activities that produce goods and services to meet human needs - the base that supports capitalism

Structural determinism → Political level

All organisations, including repressive state apparatus, that maintain order and enforce laws. These push workers into a false class consciousness (believing the system is fair)

Structural determinism → Ideological level

The ways people perceive the world and themselves, shaped by the ideological state apparatus. This level encourages acceptance of capitalism and discourages rebellion

What is ‘relative autonomy’?

While the economy is dominant in shaping society (as in classical Marxism), Althusser argued that the political and ideological levels can act independently (to a degree) and have their own effects. Society is shaped by a two way interaction between the structural determinism levels (economic, political and ideology)

What are the requirements for socialisation to come about? (According to humanistic neo marxism)

Socialism is possible when the working class builds a counter hegemony, rejecting dominant ideas and forming their own worldview

What are the requirements for socialisation to come about? (According to structural neo marxism)

Change requires disruption at all levels - economic, political and ideological - through revolution, not just ideological awareness

Evaluation of humanistic neo marxism:

• It underestimates the role of coercion and economic control in suppressing revolutionary movements. Eg the threat of state violence may prevent the w/c from developing a counter hegemony

Evaluation of structural neo marxism:

• Positives → Replaces simplistic economic determinism with a more complex understanding of how society functions

• Negatives → Suggests individuals have little power to bring about change, which can discourage activism. Overlooks real examples of successful w/c resistance and change. Historian E.P. Thompson criticises Althusser for being too elitist, arguing that he ignores the role of conscious human action and wrongly assumes people blindly follow ideology