Dissecting the 2-Fold Relation of Base and Superstructure
The base and the superstructure share a two-fold linear relationship which is the key to understanding the Marxist approach to culture. In order to get acquainted with the dynamics of this relation, we will take a closer look at the popular culture from a Marxist perspective.
As the economy is considered the base of all social structure which includes instructions and ideas, it consists of the means of production, e.g. machines that are used in relations of production, are actually social class relationships. On the other hand, the ideological superstructure comprises all non-economical domains, for example, media, culture, politics, education, and religion. This summarizes the concept to base shapes the superstructure and superstructure maintain the base.
Popular culture includes aspects of culture that occupy the general population in a wide variety of activities and media, ranging from daily life activities to special occasions, film, literature, and social interactions. Critics of Marxism tend to recognize popular culture in relation to the lifestyles and entertainment choices of the working class as opposed to the high-brow culture of the bourgeoisie society in the capitalist world.
In the capitalistic systems, profit is the driving force of the production as a result dominates the forces of production. The proletariat is exploited by the group in power (i.e. the bourgeoisie) who are benefited from the profits made. All institutions that continue to dominate within the capitalistic society arise from this economic system. The liberty of the workers is a possibility only when the working class stands up for themselves against the dominant groups of the society.
Marxists, in analyzing the culture, classified two aspects of popular culture in general:
1. The ones that have been produced by working people themselves- for example, folk art/tales or music. These are considered as genuine creative expressions by the mass.
2. Those which have been produced for them- for instance, advertising, television commercials, music, film, and arcade video games. Simultaneously, this phenomenon implies cultural domination and pacification.
Popular music is one of the most common areas of culture in which these conflicts speak volumes, varying from traditional folk to country music, modern jazz to rock & roll, and even protest songs to commercial songs. We observe the rising of the conflicts in the forms of lyrics and musical styles. Hence the evolution of popular music. In the mid-20th century, anti-war militants composed and sang to mobilize the social movements against existing institutions and policies, at the same time mechanical music (as disco) was composed and played for the sole purpose of making profits. These extremities create the upheaval in popular music with infinite options of intentions, creativity, and effects trying to motivate and break through the old norms, and patterns. Consequently, popular music becomes the tool of ideological warfare and forces of capitalist commercialization. To wrap up, the above-discussed trend applies to advertisements, literature, and graphic art, and in other forms of media amongst others, reflecting the relevance of Marx’s analysis to this day.
As the relationship between the base and superstructure is that of mediation, it is imperative to mention Marx’s thoughts on the superstructure. For this, we need to refer to the Theses on Feuerbach and the Hegelian idealism (as part of the superstructure) which states, ideology is the false consciousness that wrongly navigates people actions. The cultural theorists of Marxism are interested in economic domination keeping their focus on the culture as a superstructure.
