Project 3 Base and Superstructure

Marx (1818-1883)

Marx divided society into two major classes- the bourgeoisie- (capitalist society or employee), who owns the means of production and the proletarian- working class - those who have the ability to work- meaning that the working class have no option but to work for the employee.

Marx argued that Das Kapital (1867) that the fundamental condition of a capitalist society is the exploration of the working man or woman labourers by the employee. Thus meaning that the workers do not receive full value for his or her labour as the surplus is retained into the employee's profit.  This being so the unregulated labour does not oblige the employee to pay the worker full value for his work.

Marx and Engels (1820-1895) believed the exploration of the workers led to class struggle (The Communist Manifesto: 1848 state "the history of hitherto existing society is the history of the class struggle, and capitalist society results in class domination.  This then leads to the development of 'class consciousness,' a perspective of the world determined by the economic position.

Theories which position economic relations as the bases of social phenomena are called "materialist theories" where as Marx's version so known as "historical materialism".

Marxist concepts can be applied to the visual culture - especially to the role of the mass media, in the reproduction of the 'status quo'.  The media is viewed as an example where these class views are fought out.  These professionals while enjoying a certain illusion of autonomy are socialised the norms of a dominant culture (what we say,show etc. is the truth).

Marx meaning of Base and Superstructure is that he uses these as a metaphor for the capitalist social structure.  The base, the economy (which includes relations of production is the foundation and thus determines the superstructure, society which are the forms of state (social, political and intellectual consciousness).

Ideology and cultural leadership are part of the superstructure which is less important to the base.  Base and superstructure is a two way interrelationship and when applied to the mass media it is associated with control and ownership (ultimate control) results in monopolies.

The different way of looking at the subject outlined by Chandler and which one makes more sense and why are as follows ;-  The one that makes more sense is to Marxist  tradition of the culture industries (in terms of their economic determination, the contents and meanings of the media and its message are firstly determined by the economics of the organisation in which they are produced.  These organisations are in control of the dormant class which reinforces their control and strenghtens their consciousness through ideology is subordinate to the economic base.

In my understanding of the base and superstructure is that society in general (plus media and the arts), is that the ideas that we form are part of the superstructure and the economy informs that superstructure.

Chandler D 2000 Marxist theory "Base and Superstructure".

D. Alleua Anne 2005 Methods and Theories of Art History.