It wasn’t until shortly after his death that Karl Marx’s ideology began to significantly influence socialist movements. Although relatively unknown during his lifetime he has become one of the fundamental economic and sociological figures of the modern era. Many of his theories and insights into the way society functions are still relevant in the expanding capitalist society that exists today. Marx was very critical of capitalism and the division in society between the bourgeoisie and proletariat classes, attempting to highlight the injustice and exploitation of the working class by the wealthy upper and middle class. Marx predicted that capitalism within a socioeconomic system would inevitably create internal tensions between social classes leading to its demise and replacement by a new system, communism.
He uses Arthur Birling as a voice for capitalism, who is ridiculed by the inspector, a representative of socialism. The dialogue between them shows this, as the inspector twists what birling says. For example, when the inspector says “I’m sorry but you asked me a question”, and Birling says the inspector previously asked him an unnecessary question, the Inspector replies “It’s my duty to ask questions”. Priestly uses this symbolism as framework for the political ideology battle each character has with the inspector. As the political Ida of capitalism has corrupted the Birling family, Priestly shows the audience how the inspector, the voice of socialism, constantly out-wits the birling’s.
To What Extent Can 'An Inspector Calls' Be Regarded As A Morality Play? 'An Inspector Calls' by J.B Priestley is set in a middle-class home in 1912. This play enables him to express his thoughts of how corrupt capitalism is, and effectively show the audience his views of how socialism is the way forward. Priestley wrote the play as an allegory which depicts capitalism against socialism, as this enforces his feelings of the social division, expressing how social issues manifest from capitalism. An Inspector Calls can be seen as a morality play, as it teaches a lesson, as well as conveying morality through Priestley's eyes, with the main aim being to show that capitalism has an effect on all members of society, in very different ways.
Explore how Birling and the Inspector represent “opposite ideological points of view”? Priestley uses his characters and opposite ideological points of view throughout the play to convey to the audience how people’s political and social views differed through society. A major theme is responsibility; Priestley is interested in our personal responsibility for our own actions and our collective responsibility to society. The play explores the effect of class, age and sex on people's attitudes to responsibility, and shows how prejudice can prevent people from acting responsibly. Mr. Birling is a microcosm of higher class business men in the period the play was set.
In what ways can Fight Club be read as a Marxist critique of corporate capitalism and consumer culture? Fight Club has been argued to be a Marxist critique of the exploitation received by the proletariat from the bourgeoisie in terms of corporate capitalism and consumer culture in a capitalist society. It highlights the methods of control used by those in power in order to maintain a passive working class who, instead of resenting the bourgeoisie, rebels against there own class, creating a divided working class who are alienated from each other, which preserves the status quo. During the film, those in a position of power, for example, the narrator’s boss, are symbolically representative of the media, government and business corporations. In one shot, the narrator’s boss is only shown from the neck down, signifying that all people in positions of power share the same values and highlights that a capitalist society is not personal, instead only interested in money and profit.
This shows a lack of compassion by Birling, as he only cares about his wealth and status, and the profits he can gain from his factories. He refers to the working class as "these people" and clearly shows contempt for them. Also, the use of "these people" shows as Birling seeing himself as very superior and separate, and also doesn't want to do anything to build a supportive working community within the factory. People are seen as machines and are expendable to Birling, rather than individual people who have their own dreams and thoughts. In response, Priestley uses satire when the Inspector responds by saying: "After all, it's better to ask for the Earth than to take it."
The Marxist approach as an explanation of crime and deviance concentrates on the unfair nature of the capitalist society in which we live and how it drives individuals into a life of crime. Marxism is criticised by other theories that do not share their opinion on capitalism – this therefore means they do not share their opinion on crime and deviance. The traditional Marxist view on crime and deviance is that capitalism is a system based on greed, competition, and consumerism and that this creates the ideal conditions and need for crime. They say that capitalism drives people to commit criminal activities, crime is motivated by financial gain which is logical in a capitalist system, they can also explain non-utilitarian crimes by saying they can be caused by frustration with the unjust system we live in in todays society. Marxists also believe that the capitalist system creates laws that are seen to favour the working class and make them think the system is fair and just, however, these are only put in place to appease the subject class and give the appearance of fairness.
Religious and other sentimental excuses for unity are second to economic relations. Feudal society ranked people on their possessions, those at the bottom have no possessions. People soon realized that trade creates wealth and even enemy countries begin trading with each other because the creation of wealth is more important than religious or political differences. When production method changes, it also changes the people’s
Writing from hindsight, Priestly implies that if the old fashioned views are carried on, events similar to World War 2 will repeat themselves. The characters used in this play clearly show the opinions on socialism at that time. As Mr Birling is a successful and wealthy business man, he is reluctant to
Alienation Karl Marx, one of the founders of / Conflict Theory in Sociology, was very concerned with the idea of alienation in capitalism. There are four types of alienation . They are alienation from worker from product, worker from worker, species being, and man to man. I will go more into depth of these four types of alienation later. Alienating is a very powerful way to keep the worker under the owners belt.