Marxism
& Design Activism
Aims
·
To introduce a critical definition of ideology
·
To introduce some of the basic principles of Marxist philosophy
·
To explain the extent to which the media constitutes us as subjects
·
To introduce “culture jamming: and the idea of design activism
“The
philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways; the, however, is
to change it.”
Marx,
K. (1845)
Marxism
is:
A political manifesto, leading to socialism,
communism and the twentieth century conflicts between capital and labor
A philosophical approach to the social
sciences, which focuses on the role of society in determining human behavior,
based on concept of dialectical materialism
What
is Capitalism?
·
Society where the control of
the means of production are held in private hands.
·
A market where labour power is
bought and sold (even people)
·
Production of commodities for
sale
·
Use of money as a means of
exchange
·
Competition/meritocracy
Communist
Evolution
1.
Primitive Communism: as seen in
cooperative tribal societies.
2.
Slave Society: Develops when
the tribe becomes a city – state. Birth of aristocracy
3.
Feudalism: aristocracy becomes
the ruling class. Mechants devlop into capitalists.
4.
Capitalism: capitalists are the
ruling class, who create and employ the real working classes.
5.
Socialism: dictatorship of
proletariat: workers gain class consciousness, overthrow the capitalists and
take control over the state.
6.
Communism: a classless and
stateless society.
Marx’s concept
Base
Forces of production – materials, tools,
workers, skills.
Relations of production – emplyer/emplyee,
class, master/slave.
Superstructure
Social institutions – legal, political,
culture.
Forms of consciousness – ideology
By changing the base (captilism) you would
change the super structure being politics are way of thinking everything.
The
state:
“but a committee for managing the comman
affairs of the whole bourgeoisie” marx and engels 1848
The queen is a figure head not in charge.
the bourgeosisies, get the state to set
laws, get army out to control.
Ideology sets up a system of ideas or
beliefs which benefits the political party.
Masking, distortion, or selection of ideas,
to reinforce power relations, through creation of “false consciousness”
“The ruling class has to represent its
interest as the common interest of all the members of society, to give its
ideas the form of universality, and represent them as the only rational,
universally valid ones.”
Karl Marx, (1846)
Art
as Ideology
The only peiople able to be artists are the
people who are eductated, women weren’t allowed to make art either. So the only
people making art are Rich white men, making art for people who are rich. Made
by rich people for rich people.
Society
= Economic, political & ideological:
Ideology is a practice through which men
and women “live” their relations to real conditions of existence.
Ideology offers false, but seemingly true
resolutions to social imbalance.
Becomes a mechanism for how we live our
lives.
The
media as ideological state apparatus
·
A means of production
·
Disseminates the views of the
ruling class (dominant hegemonic)
·
Media creates a false consciousness
·
The individual is produced by nature; the subject by culture,
The media controls politics.
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