Lecture three; Marxism & design activism.

Marxism is - a political manifesto, leading to socialism, communism and the twentieth century conflicts between capital and labour. 
A philosophical approach to the social sciences, which focuses on the role of society in determining human behaviour, based on the concept of dialectical materialism. 


Capitalism is - control of the means of production in private hands.
A market where labour power is bought and sold. 
Production of commodities for sales.
Use of money as a means of exchange. 
Competition/meritocracy. 


Communist evolution; 
Primitive communism 
Slave society
Feudalism
Capitalism 
Socialism
Communism


Marx's concept of base/superstructure.
Base; 
Forces of production - materials, tools, workers, skills
Relations of production - employer, employee, class, master, slave


Superstructure; 
Social institutions - legal, political, cultural
Forms of consciousness - 'the history of all hithero existing society is the history of class struggles' 


Base > determines content and form of > superstructure > reflects form of and legitimises > base.


System of ideas or beliefs
Masking, distortion or selection of ideas, to reinforce power relations, through creation of 'false consciousness' 
Society = economic, political and 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.


The media as ideological state apparatus
A means of production. 
Disseminates the views of the ruling class.
Media creates a false consciousness.
The individual is produced by nature.


How does advertising effect us?
What examples of graphic design could be determined by social or political factors?