neo-marxism

• Neo-Marxists are those who have further developed and modified the ideas of Marx’s classical Marxism, partially in response to its criticisms
• Humanistic neo-Marxism (Gramsci)

  Structuralist neo-Marxism (Althusser)
• key ideas: Humanistic neo-Marxism places more emphasis on the importance of people’s ideas and meanings than classical Marxism. Structuralist neo-Marxism argues that the structure of society is more complex than the classical base-superstructure model claims. Both kinds of neo-Marxism have both strengths and weaknesses
• humanistic neo marxism:


  ›Gramsci (1891-1937) was the first leader of the Italian Communist Party›He rejects Marx’s economic determinism - he argues that the transition from capitalism to communism will not result from economic factors›He believed that the bourgeoisie ruled primarily via hegemony›They maintain hegemony through control of key institutions
• coercion:•Other classes are forced to accept bourgeoisie rule •Use of the army, police and courts of the capitalist state
• consent:


  •Working class are persuaded that bourgeois rule is legitimate •Uses of ideas and values •Or hegemonic rule
• Humanistic neo-Marxism


  Ruling-class hegemony is never complete - the proletariat have dual consciousness, meaning they are influenced by bourgeois ideology but are also aware of their own exploitation and can see through the dominant ideology
• Proletariat fighting back against ruling class

  1. Developing a counter hegemony

  2. Establishing a group of 'organic intellectuals' who are class conscious and project an alternative vision of society (i.e. communism)
• Humanistic neo-Marxists


  • See humans as creative beings, able to make history through their free will and conscious actions
• structuralist neo-marxism: ›Althusser opposed humanism, but argued that the structure of capitalist society is more complex than Marx’s base-superstructure model suggests ›Instead of two parts, Althusser argues that there are three levels ›The economic level is important in maintaining and legitimating the capitalism, but the political and ideological levels have relative autonomy to affect society independently of the economic level
• structuralist neo marxism: economic level-Consisting of the economy and the production of material goods, political level-Consisting of the government and organisations involved in the organisation and control of society, includes the repressive state apparatus, ideological level: Consists of the ideological state apparatuses
• strengths of neo marxism: Gramsci’s humanistic neo-Marxism is credited for recognising the importance of people’s ideas and actions and Althusser’s structuralist neo-Marxism is credited for:

  Suggesting that institutions in the ideological superstructure can impact on the economy, not simply the other way around
• weaknesses of neo-marxism: Gramsci’s humanistic neo-Marxism is criticised for Overemphasising the role of ideas and underemphasising the role of both state coercion and economic factors in preventing a proletarian revolution and Althusser’s structuralist neo-Marxism is criticised for:

  ×Discouraging political activism (for humanistic Marxists such as Gouldner) because it stresses the role of structural factors that individuals can do little to affect