TV: Capital, Marxism and Hegemony

Mail Online review of Capital

1) Re-read the Mail Online review of Capital. Why does it suggest that Capital features a left-wing ideology?

The article suggests Capital promotes left-wing ideologies due to it sympathising with illegal immigrants, presenting them as hard-working and not here to claim benefits, presenting Eastern Europeans as saints, etc. Also, through the Banker family, Capital seems to be portraying the idea that middle class people don't seem to hold any true aspects of love, family, and the more emotional, sensitive and intimate pleasures in life; their lives seem to be reserved with money and business, and only those who are lower in the class system seem to understand what the simpler pleasures in life are as they have not been blinded by money (The Kamal family.

2) Choose three quotes from the review that are particularly critical of Capital and paste them into your blogpost. Do you agree with the criticisms? Why?

1. "With a fizzle like a firework on a wet night, Capital (BBC1) dribbled to a soggy ending. It started with such a brilliant display, but by the finish we were left staring at the proverbial damp squib." - I certainly agree with this statement, as the ending was unsatisfactory and did not compare to the exciting plot promised to us, the audience, in episode one. In particular, the "We want what you have" plot which is what initially drew me in, was almost dismissed towards the end; as if they had to whizz past with anything that could be considered as an explanation in order to have time to focus more on each individual character and closing off their narratives
2. "The hardest worker on the street was an illegal immigrant, determined to pay her way and not touch a penny of benefits. She was deported, though she did find time to teach English to some of her fellow saints at the detention centre."
3. “...the Polish builder had a heart of gold and his Hungarian girlfriend was as honest as Mother Teresa." - Although the satire tone of the writer may see harsh here, I somewhat find myself agreeing with his point of view; illegal immigrants flooding into the UK solely for the purpose of claiming benefits and with no intention to do work are a real issue in real life London; of course, there are a vast number of immigrants as represented in the drama that honestly want to put work into the state which gave them a home and safety, but it was incredibly unfair to only present one side of the picture. Illegal immigrants taking advantage of the UK's welfare system are real, and it was wrong of Capital to completely dismiss this narrative. Furthermore, I believe that Capital painted an almost angelic image of immigrants, such as the Polish and Hungarian worker. This is not necessarily a bad thing and does in fact hold some truth, however alongside this representation, it also demonised the working class, which is complete leftist propaganda.  

3) What scenes or characters from Capital could be read as promoting left-wing ideology?

The old women mixes up the Pakistani family with other Asian ethnicities. Although it shows that she is unaware that the times have moved on, she is still apologetic and sympathetic. She understands how hard individuals work to earn their living. Another thing is that the immigrants like the Polish builders work hard, normally a far right wing ideology is that immigrants would just claim benefits and not do anything to help society. However, Bogdan, the nanny and the Pakistani family work hours on end to earn money and give back. The banking sector is also portrayed as what is wrong with society. Everyone there just cares about money, hence Roger caring about his bonus, his assistant committing fraud by investing all the money into the stock market.

4) What about the other side of the argument - are there any aspects of Capital that reinforce the status quo in capitalist London?

Capitalist ideologies of working hard is portrayed in nearly every character. The only character that comes to mind is Quentina's boss that takes advantage of her. He says to her that 'she works too hard', but the culture with every other person is that they work hard to make their living. This goes against the status quo. People like the banker works late at night in his bed, he is still a commuter and the Polish builder Bogdan takes on multiple jobs to earn money.

Media Magazine feature on BBC drama The Casual Vacancy and ideology

Now go to our Media Magazine archive and read the feature 'The Beeb, The Mail and JKR' in MM53 (page 20). This focuses on the politics of The Casual Vacancy, another BBC three-part drama based on a book by JK Rowling.

Answer the questions below:

1) Why did the Daily Mail suggest The Casual Vacancy promoted a left-wing ideology?

Many leading commentators have suggested very explicitly that in broadcasting the drama the BBC has broken its own impartiality guidelines, and implicitly gave support to the Labour Party just two and a half months before the 2015 General Election. This, they argue, was a deliberate plot. In their view, BBC executives, commissioners, programme-makers and scriptwriters all have an inherent left-wing bias and

this is reflected in most of its output.

2) How does the article suggest characters, narrative and setting are used to promote a left-wing ideology?

A right wing ideology that the Daily Mail have is that food banks and rehab centres should be shut down as it reduces taxes so people who work gain more money and would then create jobs for the unemployed.  The show used the setting of the food bank shutting down as a left wing ideology and portrayed the negatives of the sale. The views of the others that differ from the rest are not viewed in a sympathetic manor, the only view that we see is the one not to shut down the foodbank. Mollison is seen as a hypocrite and as the villain because he supports the closure of the food bank. The protagonist Fairbrother dies early on in the book but in the show is used to show the importance of the food bank and show the 'evil' in Mollison. 

3) What research is quoted regarding BBC bias and what did it find? Do you think the BBC is biased?

The BBC Director of TV is also the director of J.K. Rowling's charity Lumos. It is also argues that the BBC executives and scriptwriters have a left wing bias and this is filtered through to their products. I think the BBC has remained impartial by criticising both sides when needed, they have been critical. Also research by Dr Mike Berry of Cardiff University and commissioned by the BBC Trust says that the BBC if anything is more right than left wing.

4) Gramsci's theory of hegemony suggests people are kept under control through active consent - the control of 'common sense'. How could you apply the Daily Mail or the BBC to the idea of hegemony and dominant ideologies in the UK media?

The dominant ideologies in the Daily Mail are that immigration will only lead to more problems. The BBC will declare both sides of the argument. But each side and the Daily Mail would argue their viewpoints as common sense and those that don't follow this as the root of the problem. The alienation makes people follow as people generally feel comfortable being part of the mass.