In the
Marxist economic base and superstructure model of society,
base denotes the
relations of production, and
superstructure denotes the dominant ideology (religious, legal, political systems). The economic base of production determines the political superstructure of a society. Ruling class-interests determine the superstructure and the nature of the justifying ideology—actions feasible because the ruling class control the means of production. For example, in a
feudal mode of production, religious ideology is the most prominent aspect of the superstructure, while
in capitalist formations, ideologies such as liberalism and social democracy dominate. Hence the great importance of the ideology justifying a society; it politically confuses the alienated groups of society via
false consciousness, such as in the case of
commodity fetishism—the belief that
value is inherent to a commodity, rather than external, added to it via labor.
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