Study On Raymond Williams’s ‘Common Culture’ Thought ——From The Perspective Of Marxism

After World War II,capitalist society underwent great changes,and the development of Marxism in Western society led more and more intellectuals to embark on the path of criticizing capitalism.Raymond Williams combined culture and Marxism,and put forward the theory of cultural materialism according to the reality of contemporary Britain.Williams was a founder of the discipline of cultural studies.He analyzes the status of capitalist society from a cultural perspective.By justifying popular culture and providing the working class with a powerful ideological weapon,they continued to fight for the realization of socialism in Britain.The idea of ‘common culture’ is the ultimate theoretical appeal of Williams’ cultural critique.The study of the idea of ‘common culture’ helps to understand the development of Western Marxism in contemporary Britain from the inside of capitalism.At the same time,Williams’ thinking on the materiality of culture and his discourse on culture as "a way of life as a whole" makes the idea of ‘common culture’ a developing idea of social change.The study of ‘common culture’ is helpful to understand the connotation and cultural and political aspirations of the British ‘New Left’ in cultural criticism.There are four parts in this paper,which respectively study Williams’ "common culture" thought from four aspects: origin,content,appeal,and analysis.The idea of ‘common culture’ originated from the continuous growth of the British working class.Influenced by new science and technology,the continuous development of contemporary British industrial society and the rise of the British Labour Party have provided a certain political and economic foundation for the working class.With the development of cultural transmission methods,new social contradictions have emerged in Britain.The contradiction between the new working class and the old aristocratic class,as well as the contradiction between elitism and popular culture,social unrest.Williams saw the important role and great potential of popular culture,and wanted to create a cultural community with equal and harmonious development,and finally put forward the idea of ‘common culture’.‘Common culture’ is not only a cultural theory,but more of a cultural thought that can adapt to social changes and develop along with the historical process.In his work,Williams has made a very detailed explanation of important concepts,criticizing the dogma of traditional Marxism.His multiple definitions of culture make the idea of‘common culture’ have the characteristics of equality,practicality and integrity.While exploring the current British society,Williams is also trying to find his own foothold.The idea of ‘common culture’ can be said to be Williams’ specific idea for realizing social liberation.The appeal of the idea of ‘common culture’ starts from three aspects: culture,democracy and equality: to achieve cultural liberation,to promote the democratic process,and to realize an equal society.The premise of realizing common cultural thought is to realize cultural equality,and the premise of realizing cultural equality is social equality.Williams tried to realize his own demands through cultural expansion,mass education,etc.,which promoted the development of contemporary British cultural democracy and inspired Terry Eagleton and other postmodern scholars’ common cultural thoughts.Due to the strong Utopian nature of the idea of ‘common culture’ and the fall of the British Labour Party,the idea of ‘common culture’ gradually disintegrated in the later period and finally failed.But the idea of ‘common culture’ is of great significance to British cultural studies.On the one hand,it breaks the traditional elitism model and dissolves the opposition between the two cultures.On the other hand,it stimulated the consciousness of British cultural democracy and provided a powerful ideological weapon for the British working class.At the same time,the idea of‘common culture’ is Williams’ cultural practice of combining Marxism with the local development of Britain,and an attempt to enrich the Marxist cultural view.The theoretical exploration of the idea of ‘common culture’ provides certain enlightenment for the Chinese nation in improving the sense of cultural identity and attaching importance to the dynamic role of culture.