Neo-marxism

• Gramsci refers to ruling class dominance in both economic terms: wealth, property and income, and politically and culturally as “Hegemony”
• Gramsci believed that hegemony was influential as the subordinate class were subjected to ideological influences in religion and other institutions. However, he did not believe that the poor were hypnotised by the dominant ideology because their daily experiences of working class oppression made them conscious of another way of looking at the world- contradicting false class consciousness
• Gramsci argued that many experienced a dual consciousness. For example, they may support the ruling class in the face of an external threat by enlisting in the army, but they generally retained self respect by subscribing to political outlooks eg Marxism based on daily experience, therefore contradicting ruling class hegemony
• Dual consciousness refers to the idea that ordinary

  people may subscribe to some aspects of ruling

  ideology, while their daily experience may make

  them critical of others. For example, people may

  believe that the royal family is essential, even while

  their experience of low-paid work or unemployment

  makes them aware that the capitalist system is unfair
• Gramsci rejected the traditional Marxist idea that the superstructure was dependant on the infrastructure and functioned solely to transmit ruling class ideology. state sanctioned religions eg cofe and Catholicism served the interests of the state. However non hegemonic religious ideas could independently emerge from the superstructure out of every day observation of inequalities. they are adopted by working class leaders to raise consciousness a challenge ruling class ideology and hegemony
• Casanova claims that the irrational nature of religious belief has caused much more war, persecution and human suffering than any other belief system. Eg conflict between Hindus and Muslims in India
• Critics argue that conflicts seen as being based on religion are actually as a result of other factors. For example the troubles could be seen as political rather than religious
• Maduro suggested that religious ideas may promote social change and override ruling class ideology. in societies with totalitarian dictatorships, political protest is usually banned and people are often prevented from conventional means of protest. Therefore, the only places where people can gather in large numbers are religious places
• Maduro notes that some religious leaders are charismatic leaders, led by conscience, they may speak against inequality in their sermons, even if dressed in religious terms. Eventually these leaders would raise the consciousness of their followers and lead to a political activism eg a mass uprising in attempts to overthrow the ruling elite
• Religious ideas and movements have been instrumental in bringing about revolutionary social change. For example The Reverend Martin Luther King and the Southern Baptist Church were at the forefront of the civil rights movement in the USA in the 1960s. King’s non-violent demonstrations played an important role in dismantling segregation and acquiring political, social and economic rights for Black people in the USA
• The liberation theology movement in the 1980s in countries like Nicaragua and El Salvador raised revolutionary consciousness. Catholic priests developed this theology in response to the failure of the Vatican to respond to the oppression of the poor by right wing dictators, combining the teachings of Jesus and Marx. This encouraged people to actively change societies, even through violence. This led to a revolution with the dictators being overthrown
• Neomarxists therefore argue that Religion can bring about radical social change, by developing into political movements that seek social change