SOCI 1F90 Lecture 6: SOCI1F90LectureOct6th
Document Summary
Accepted marx"s analysis of class inequalities under capitalism. Marx thought capitalist use force/coercion to dominate working class, (police, military) Gramsci believed that more often they manipulated ideas as a subtle form of control. Physical force and coercion to enforce class hierarchy. Control and consent of ideas; the working class has to believe/consent to the ideas as well. Capitalist class controls ideas as it controls social institutions. Ideological control: dominant ideas reflect capitalist interests, mask social inequalities. No regime can rule using force alone. Hegemony of capitalists ideas only works when the working class agrees with them, e. g. capitalism is the best economic system and will continuously be correlated with freedom and democracy. Hegemony only works if the working class agrees. Social institutions (schools, media, religion) disseminate and legitimate ideas. Come to appear as common sense- taken for granted- become hegemonic.