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The Red Scare, Cultural Hegemony

 

            Since the inception of the United States, and the founding fathers signed documents that all "men" were created equal, the United States has been able to advertise of the "Land of Opportunity". In this paper, I will show that since the early 1900s and elite few placed in key positions in the United States have been able to focus the attention of the majority of the population in a direction that was acceptable for the government. Some examples are overt and discreet while others will be factual and to the point. I will also show specific examples of how United States elected officials were able to redirect the attention of an entire nation while they continued on their own personal agenda.
             What makes this theory interesting for us is the fact that this theory defines ''the intellectuals'' as one of the most interesting means employed for the so-called cultural hegemony. The powers establishing hegemony over the society use an important part of the people known as intellectuals to impose their world-view. Each of these "enlightened people" happen to become supporters who defend the world-view legitimizing the hegemony order. At this point, the cultural hegemony theory draws attention particularly to the academicians, that is, in other words, to the ''scientists''. According to this, ''political society (that is, the powers directing the politics) penetrates to the academic world to such effective extent'' that the members of this world become the defenders of the official ideology befitting the interests of the political society. Examples of this can be seen in our schools history of teaching. Since the inception of our educational system by Thomas Jefferson, many changes have taken place. A new and systematical plan of universal education should be proposed, and he was requested to undertake it. He did so, preparing three bills for that purpose, proposing three distinct grades of instruction which were elementary schools, colleges, and the University.


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