Table Of ContentABSTRACT
This paper analyzes the movie Step up Revolution using Louis Althusser‟s theory. The
problem that is become the background of this study is capitalism. The capitalist treated
his labors badly and it makes the proletariat fight against the capitalist by doing a protest.
The proletariat used art which is flashmob dance to protest the capitalist. The analysis in
this study is focused on the struggle of the proletariat; that is what makes flashmob dance
as the art protest succeed to protest against the capitalist through the scene and the
dialogue in the movie. This paper suggests that art can be used to protest against the
capitalist.
Keywords; capitalism, economic determinism, art, ideology
INTRODUCTION
“Art is a keyhole through which you can see the ocean of human potential. In that
way, art can do everything reality can’t.”
--Hofesh Shechter
Nowadays, there are a lot of demonstrations to protest the injustices of capitalists.
Mostly, the protest emerges because the labors feel adverse with the decision of the
owner of production. The protest is usually followed by anarchy where the labors do it by
destroying property. The anarchy of labor protest is the last choice to succeed their action
while the owners of production do not respect their protest. The anarchy protest usually
happens in reality.
However, the movie “Step up Revolution” is different from what usually happens
in a protest. The protest in this movie is far from anarchy where the demonstrators speak
louder to deliver their aspirations through art protest. The specification of the art protest
is dance. Dance in this movie is used as a media or tool to protest to the owners of
production who treated his labors badly.
1
Basically, the movie “Step up Revolution” directed by Scott Speer is a dancing
movie about the struggle of the lower class against the upper class. The lower class in the
movie is the residents who do not have a lot of money and power. In contrast, the upper
class or the rich is Bill Anderson who has a lot of money and power. The war between
both sides appeared because of some problems. First, half of the lower class works for the
upper class and the upper class treats them so badly. The other problem was Anderson, as
the upper class who wanted to buy the lower class residence to expand his hotel area. The
case above is what people usually call as capitalism.
Capitalism, based on Marxist Theories of Imperialism, is the relation between
workers and the owner of production or the problem between two classes (Brewer, 39).
The two classes above mean the bourgeois and proletariat. Based on the definition in the
book of The Thought of Karl Marx, the bourgeois is the owner of production or the
capitalist and the proletariat is the workers who have no production or selling themselves
for getting wages to the bourgeois (McLellan, 178).
In the movie, Anderson is the capitalist or the bourgeois because he is the owner
of production. As the capitalist, Anderson easily gets what he wants because he has a lot
of money. Indeed, money is connected to power. When someone has a lot of money, she
or he can control anyone easily. This case is supported by Karl Marx and Engels‟ theory
of Marxism that is known as economic determinism which is money as the base and
without money, people cannot do anything. It is implied from the statement in Original
Marxism Estranged Offspring book:
“Marx discovered the simple fact (heretofore hidden beneath ideological
overgrowths) that human beings must have food, drink clothing and shelter first
2
of all, before they can interest themselves in politics, science, art religion and the
like” (Fulton, 86)
The conclusion from the statement above is human need money to fulfill their
needs. Money is important in our lives, but it can be dangerous when it leads all our
thinking. It will make us like a fish in a tank, which is the ideology of economic
determinism. While the fish trapped in the tank, it makes the fish not know or think that
there is something outside the fish tank.
The contrary of the bourgeois is the proletariat. In the movie, the proletariat is the
Mob and the residents. The proletariat in the movie “Step up Revolution” struggle to get
their rights back. The reason why they were struggling for their rights is because of the
conflict between the bourgeois and the proletariat where the bourgeois treated his labors
badly and he wanted to buy the residence which caused the proletariat to feel oppressed
and revolt against the bourgeois.
In the movie, even though the proletariat did not have a lot of money and power
like Anderson, as the bourgeois, they keep struggling to get their rights back. Being poor
does not mean that they are prohibited to struggle for their rights. Like Lebowitz said,
everyone has the right to their development or wealth (3). Lebowitz‟s statement implied
that caste or class status cannot stop people to struggle to get their rights.
In the movie, the proletariat did art protest against the bourgeois and it succeeded
to beat the capitalist, or the bourgeois, who is Anderson. This is the part that makes me
interested to analyze this movie. This movie shows the contrast of what Marx said about
economic determinism which is money exists as the base because in the end of the movie,
money could not control the situation. The case in the end of the movie is supported by
3
Althusser, who claimed in Beginning Theory by Peter Barry that art is separated from
material thing (159).
For instance, from what I learnt in Literature Theory class, Lenin (a Marxist) said
that literature, as art, can be used to protest or against the injustices of capitalism and
class differences. It is supported by Althusser, another Marxist, who said in the term of
relative autonomy that “art has a degree of independence from economic forces” (Barry,
159).
In this study, I attempt to analyze about the problems between two classes,
bourgeoisie and proletariat that is related to the term of capitalism. Then, I attempt to
analyze the social concept using Louis Althusser‟s perspective, which is related to the
capitalism in society that encourages the society to do a movement to fight the injustice.
After that, I will focus to analyze what makes the art protest succeed to change the social
condition in the movie of “Step up Revolution” through the scenes and dialogues in the
movie.
By analyzing this study, based on Louis Althusser‟s theory, I hope this study will
be useful for literary works and after reading this study, I hope the reader will open
his/her mind about the concept of economic determinism that sometimes money means
nothing. As the case in the movie, the capitalist could not use his money to control the
situation.
4
LITERATURE REVIEW
CAPITALISM
According to Henrik Schmidt, capitalism is “the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie”
(385). It means that bourgeoisie is the one who have an authority to control. By having an
authority, it is easy for capitalists to control anything and the capitalist become a priority
or dominate in all aspects. As Resch stated, “capitalism became a system of domination,
not exploitation”(3). One thing which makes the capitalist able to control anything is
because of money. Millios stated “in capitalist system, money is an intrinsic and
necessary element in capitalist economic relations” (27). Millios‟ statement is similar like
the term economic determinism which is money as the base. So, it is clear that the basic
capitalist‟s thought is about money. The term of capitalism is connected to the movie “Step up
Revolution” because the background of the problem in the movie is about how the owner or the
rich treated his laborers which made them feel oppressed and attacked to the capitalists.
LOUIS ALTHUSSER and the THEORY
Louis Althusser (1918-1990) is a French Marxist (Barry, 160). According to
www.egs.edu, he is a famous French philosopher, especially influential for his re-
invention of Marxism. He is one of other Marxists who reject Marx‟s concept about
economic determinism. Althusser accepted capitalism, but he did not agree with the
concept of a base. As what I said before, the term of the base means that all depend on
money. Althusser has his own concept that art exists separately from the material world.
According to Barry, Althusser‟s concept has “a degree of independence from economic
forces” (160). This term is connected with the problem in the movie “Step up
5
Revolution” because the movie tells how the proletariats succeed to change the social
condition using art protest.
Still according to www.egs.edu, Althusser believed that ideology is much better
than the concept of the base. He contributed an idea that contrasted to the concept of the
base or superstructure. As Barry stated, “Ideology as the system of representations at the
heart of a given society to give a concise definition which makes culture (including
literature) a crucial vehicle of the values which underpin the status quo in any society”
(160). Based on Barry‟s definition about ideology, Althusser believed that culture
(including literature) can be a weapon for society to avoid for having a low class status.
Althusser‟s belief is definitely different with the term of base by Karl Marx. In the movie,
ideology is used to fight the capitalist.
SOCIAL CONCEPT
According to Clarke, Althusser argues that there are two kinds of State
apparatuses. They are the Repressive State Apparatus (RSA) and the Ideological State
Apparatus (ISA) (2). Barry explained that there are institutions that are included in RSA
such as the Government, the Administration, the Army, the Police, the Courts, the Prisons
(160). The institutions included in ISA are groupings as political parties, schools, the
media, churches, the family, and art (including literature) (160). Every institution has
different functions, as Richard L.W Clarke noted:
“The RSAs function is to secure the political conditions of the reproduction of
relations of production, which are relations of exploitation, via media of
repression that range from the most brutal physical force, via mere administrative
commands and interdictions, to open and tacit censorship (2).”
6
So, the institution such as the police, the court, the army, the prison and the law which are
included in RSA will secure the victim of the war between the owner of production or
bourgeois and the proletariat or the worker. Comparing to the ISA‟s function according to
Clarke that:
“For the ISAs function is to secure the same goal (that is, the reproduction of the
relations of production, i.e. of capitalist relations of exploitation) behind the shield
provided by the RSAs by inculcating in all members of society and naturalizing
the dominant ideology which is that of the ruling class (2).”
Basically, the function of ISA is the same. However, the differences will be
defined by the subject. For the example, the political ISA will “subject individuals to the
political State ideology” (2); the communications (the press, the radio, and the television)
ISA will doctrine every citizen with daily thoughts of nationalism, chauvinism,
liberalism, moralism, etc.
Still, based on Clarke notes, he stated “the effects of the clashes between the
capitalist and the proletariat are unified by their common function that subtending to the
dominant ideology and the interests of the ruling class” (2). While the clashes happened
between the capitalist and the proletariat, the society will choose the dominant ideology
and support it. In the movie “Step up Revolution” there are some groups which are
included in RSA and ISA. Both have an important role in the case of the proletariat‟s
protest. According to their function that I mentioned before, some of them support the
protest, but some do not.
SUMMARY
There is a dance crew in Miami called The Mob with the leader named Sean. The
Mob consisted of all dancers in the world. Some of them are homeless and jobless. Sean
was unifying them. They were living in the settlement in the middle of the town. Their
7
activity is creating daily street dance performances. They even join the youtube
competition to achieve the prize which consists of a lot of money.
Sean and some of The Mob‟s member are working for Bill Anderson, the owner
of the Diamont Hotel. Anderson has a daughter named Emily. She had aspirations to be a
good dancer, but Anderson did not allow her with the reason she could not earn a lot of
money by becoming a dancer. Anderson was treating Emily like a child. Then until the
day Emily met Sean, Emily‟s life is changing. Emily knew about The Mob and makes
Emily interested to join. But Sean is not sure the other members will accept Emily
because of Emily‟ identity as the daughter of rich person. Then Sean and Emily lie to
other members about Emily‟s status.
One day, Anderson wants to expand his inventory by buying the area near his
property that is the residence of lower society. He will destroy the home, café and others
building in that area after he buys it to expand his hotel. Sean and The Mob are the
residents in that area. They knew about what Anderson would do and especially Emily,
she felt guilty about that. Emily tried to talk to his father, but the agreement with the city
council of buying the area is already in process and it makes The Mob and also the
residents in that area have to move to another area.
Emily gives the idea about a protest with art, by dancing, to change the condition
and to prevent their houses, places where they were born and grew up from being
destroyed. The Mob agreed it, doing a performance as a protest in the company where the
agreement is in process. The first art protest is a success. However, after that everything
changes because all members of the Mob know Emily‟s identity that she is the
8
Anderson‟s daughter. Emily‟s status as the daughter of Anderson gave a bad impact to
their friend‟s relationship. Eddie, Sean‟s close friend, got angry, kicked out Emily from
the Mob, is hostile with Sean and everything is messed up.
Anderson knew that his daughter, Emily is included in the Mob and they attack
him with their art protest. Emily confesses to her father because of her mistakes.
Anderson could forgive Emily but the agreement with the city council keeps working.
The Mob could not be silent and just watch their place being destroyed. The Mob gathers
all the dancers in Miami and makes a project to protest. The amazing art protest by The
Mob made the city council change their mind. The agreement canceled and The Mob
succeeds to get their rights back.
ANALYSIS
Capitalist system
Based on the summary, some of the members of The Mob such as Sean, Eddie
and others are working for Anderson in Diamont Hotel. The relation between the workers
and the capitalists are not quite good. It is because the capitalist dominate all activities
that are related to the production. In the one hand, I agree that the obligation for the
workers is working for their boss. On the other hand, I disagree if the boss treats the
workers as machines to earn money. The scene below is one of the examples from the
movie of “Step up Revolution”, when the manager reminded Sean about the patrons in
Diamont Hotel.
Manager : “Where are my waiters? I‟ve got a two-top that‟s been waiting for
10 minutes.”
Sean : “two-top? Yeah that‟s mine.”
Manager : “Patrons do not wait at the Dimont.”
9
Sean : “You must be the new manager. I‟m Sean.”
Manager : “I‟m your boss not your homie. Next time you leave customers
waiting like that. You‟re fired.”
I do support the manager‟s reminder to Sean that a worker should not being late to serve
the food. However, I disagree with how the manager reminded the worker. The manager
reminded Sean with anger. The manager should ask Sean first why Sean made the
patrons wait for the food. It is possible that the mistake is not from Sean, but it is from
the chef who did not finish cooking the food. Besides that, firing the worker means that
the manager does not tolerate the worker. Related to Marx‟s concept of reification that is
according to Barry, “the term used in Marx's major work, Das Kapital” (156). The term of
reification is talk about the important of profit for the owner of production (156). The case
above is also lack of humanity, because the manager forces the worker to work hard
without considering the worker‟s problem. From this case, the relation between the owner
of the production and the workers is not good because they do not cooperate with each
other to reach the same goal that is to give the best for the property. As Keynes argued in
“Classical Theory of Capitalism”, the inequalities of the property rights between the
owners of production and the workers do not only give profit to the one side that is the
owner of production. Keynes also stated that it will give “the unintended negative or
contradictory effects of market coordination” (55). The case above also shows the
domination of the capitalist that according to Resch‟ statement, domination shows the
system of capitalism (3).
Another scene that showed the domination of capitalists is the scene when the
workers are forced to work without being given to relax.
(Scene 00.07.17-00.07.25)
Sean : “Eddie you see this sign?”
Eddie : “What sign?”
10
Description:This paper analyzes the movie Step up Revolution using Louis Althusser‟s theory. The The two classes above mean the bourgeois and proletariat.
