The Frankfurt School; a predominant left wing group of intellectuals gathered from the middle and upper classes of German society in the early twentieth century are popularly associated within the ‘development of critical theory and research’. (Strinati:2004). The most significant critique concerned highlighting the apparent ‘social contradictions underlying the emergent capitalist societies of the time, and their typical ideologies’ (ibid). The Frankfurt School – within a metaphysical paradigm – described such contradictions, ‘the very nature or essence of the social phenomena’, as present within the reality of The Culture Industry (Cohen et al:2007).
The Frankfurt School adopted several Marxist theoretical principles implying that ‘the Culture Industry reflects the consolidation of commodity fetishism, the domination of exchange value and the ascendancy of state monopoly capitalism’ (Strinati:2004). Indeed, the classical Marxist conflict model provides the basis for the Culture Industry paradigm. This conflict model – Bourgeoisie versus Proletariat – derived from observations that ‘capitalists appropriated a disproportionate share of society’s total income solely by their virtue of being owners of the means of production’ is the essential analytical tool in terms of understanding that the ‘dominant ideas in any society are those which are drawn up, distributed and imposed by the ruling class to secure and perpetuate its rule’ (Cypher & Dietz:2004), (Strinati:2004). The Culture Industry, therefore, is a cultural phenomenon initiated by the ruling class to maintain social order.
The Frankfurt School adopted several Marxist theoretical principles implying that ‘the Culture Industry reflects the consolidation of commodity fetishism, the domination of exchange value and the ascendancy of state monopoly capitalism’ (Strinati:2004). Indeed, the classical Marxist conflict model provides the basis for the Culture Industry paradigm. This conflict model – Bourgeoisie versus Proletariat – derived from observations that ‘capitalists appropriated a disproportionate share of society’s total income solely by their virtue of being owners of the means of production’ is the essential analytical tool in terms of understanding that the ‘dominant ideas in any society are those which are drawn up, distributed and imposed by the ruling class to secure and perpetuate its rule’ (Cypher & Dietz:2004), (Strinati:2004). The Culture Industry, therefore, is a cultural phenomenon initiated by the ruling class to maintain social order.
No comments:
Post a Comment