Socio105: L3

Conservative Theorists:

M. Arnold 1822-1888, British poet/cultural critic

Culture and Anarchy

F.R. Leavis 1895-1978, British literary critic

Mass Civilization and Minority Culture 1930

Historical Background:

Pre Industrial Society:

Involves 2 forms of culture: Authentic (minority), Common Folk (majority of people in

European society) and Folk people. Typically involves a ‘lived culture’

Industrialisation:

Rising of mass-production of media resources. There is a need for the masses to be

educated in order to work in this cultural period. Thus, the folk culture feel alienated
due to the rapidly rising mass culture which is dubbed as an inauthentic culture
which causes a discrimination between the authentic and folk culture.

Definitions of Culture: Arnold vs Leavis

Arnold: the best which has been thought and said. Profit gaining as opposed to the
future of society and thus, the solution would be to educate the mass culture.

Leavis: the discerning appreciation of art and literature depends in the language, the
changing idiom upon which fine living depends, and without which distinction of spirit
is thwarted and incoherent. Cultural context

Main Arguments:

Cultural Conservatism: Considered as the elitist society

High Culture = absolute, objectively defined

Making cultural accessible involves effort and expense which leads to falling
standards.

The privileged few have access to quality education and culture

Commerce is the threat to culture

Cultural: High and Low

High Culture: Culture involving art, literature, music and intellectual thought which
few can create or even appreciate…

Low Culture: Mediocre, dull and mundane entertainment by uneducated individuals