How Does Cultural Hegemony Produce False Consciousness

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1. According to the article, it is difficult for an individual to obtain class consciousness in a capitalist society because they lack social and economic characteristics of the class they want to be a member of. Class consciousness is portrayed as the awareness of a social and economic class relative to others, and the economic rank of class within society. The proletariats are challenged by the inequality from bourgeoisies. In contrast of obtaining class consciousness, individuals are living with a false consciousness that can establish an increase of competition of one’s rank between with others. In the text, Marx theorized “how workers could overthrow the system if capitalism and then create new economic, social, political systems based on equality rather than inequality and exploitation.” Individuals are unable to succeed because they are not unity together as a class of laborers that can defeat the odds on overthrowing and revolting against capitalism.

2. Cultural hegemony produces false consciousness through an ideological concept called “common sense.” The term cultural hegemony is referring to a group of people that can obtain power over social institutions, to influence the everyday thoughts, behavior, and expectations by dominating …show more content…

The bourgeoisie are the owners of the means of production. The bourgeoisie maintain power by establishing new classes, new conditions of oppression, and new forms of struggles in place of the old ones. They are receiving the support and interest from the government, which are the majorities, rather than helping out the proletarians (workers). Eventually in the long run, “when workers are forced to compete with each other and sell their labor to the owners of capital. An important consequence, the offer, is the stripping away of other kinds of social ties that used to bind people together in society.” In other words, when proletarians are competing for labor, they are also destroying the relationships among

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