Cultural Hegemony

Culture Hegemony

The ruling class and the ruiling ideas

In the "Ruling Class and the Ruling Ideas" Marx and Engels assert that "the ideas of the ruling class is the ruling ideas in every epoch," because the "ruling class has the material production at its disposal, consequently also control the mental production". Marx and Engels believe that not the ideology decide the form of the society. It is the material relations which shape forms of each society. The ideology itself is nothing but ideal expression of the dominant material relations. And, the ruling class use ideology as a tool to create illusion deceiving the human mass the "ideas", which serving the ruling class is the only rational, universally valid one, by claims that ideas exist separate from the ruling class.

(i)History of the Subaltern Classes;

Gramsci point out the subaltern classes's history aways intertwined with "civil society" and the history of States, which is essentially the historical unity of ruling class. Then Gramsci write a list of six phases to indicate the complexity and diversity between different group of subaltern groups, and their attempts towards autonomy. Because of the complexity and diversity of subaltern groups. Gramsci suggest that the study of subaltern group should include the elements of all the other hegemonic groups and subaltern groups. Gramsci also describe how the supremacy of a social group manifests itself and dominates antagonistic groups. Once the class won the governmental power; it subsequently becomes dominate and must be continue to "lead" as well...

(ii)The Concept of “Ideology”;

Gramsci first introduce the origin of "ideas" and "ideology", which he believes is "sensations". He believes that "ideology" must be analysed historically, in the terms of the philosophy of praxis, as a superstructure. It is necessary to distinguish between historically organic ideologies and ideologies are arbitrary, rationalistic. Historically organic ideologies can organise human masses in a psychological way. However, to the extent that arbitrary ideologies only create individual "movements" or polemics. By quote Marx "a popular conviction often has the same energy as a material force," Gramsci asserted that material forces are the content and ideologies are the form and there no necessary to study this content by distinguishing the material forces between ideologies.

(iii)Cultural Themes: Ideological Material

The structure of ideology of a dominant class functions to maintaining, defending and developing the dominant stats of the ruling ideology. The press is the most dynamic part of this ideology structure. But not only one. Everything which influences or able to influence public opinion also belong to the ideology structure. At the end of the article Gramsci point out that the solution for an innovative class set against the formidable dominant class is the "spirit of scission". Walking out the sphere of ideology created by the dominant class and gain the consciousness and historical personality of its own. All those required an exact knowledge of the field and cleared the element of human "mass".

Comparetion between Marx and Gramsci

Difference towards ideology.

Gramsci think that the term "ideology" assumed in Marxist philosophy contains a negative value. Marx believe all the ideology is a form of illusion which created by the ruling class. Marx believe that material relations which shape forms of each society. Ideology not able to change the structure or give influence to society. However, on the other hand, Gramsci appreciates the value of ideology. He considers the material forces are the content and ideologies are the form. They are together shaping the structure of society. Gramsci asserts that culture study on subaltern group and dominant group could enable one to understand how ideology works and helps resist the superstructure.

My opinion and confusion

In digital age. Are we able to determine or drop a clear line between dominant class and subaltern class? How can we set against this formidable complex of trenches and fortification of the dominant class? The ideology structure of a dominant class nowadays is more flexible. It allows different subaltern group even resistant ideology exist without weaken the superstructure itself. If the whole system still keep functioning, every resistant force, every subaltern group activities actually serving the superstructure. The best example is the British TV Mini-Series "Black Mirror". The second episode "15 Million Merits" is a satire on entertainment shows and our insatiable thirst for distraction set in a sarcastic version of a future reality. In this world, everyone is confined to a life of strange physical drudgery. The only way to escape this life is to enter the 'Hot Shot' talent show and pray you can impress the judges. Bingham "Bing" Madsen is a citizen of the facility, Who lost the girl he love because the 'Hot Shot' judges put the girl into a pornography program. He decides to participate in the show and take his revenge. When he is put on the stage he begins to dance, but interrupts his performance, draws the shard of glass and threatens to kill himself live on the show. He tearfully rants about how unfair the system is and expresses his anger for how the judges took away the only thing he found in the facility that felt real. The judges, instead of taking his words into consideration, are impressed by his 'performance' and offer him his own show, where he can rant about the system all he likes. Under the pressure he accepts, and he is shown finishing one of his streams in his penthouse, putting his shard away in a silk box.