Dominant ideology

From MarxWiki

The dominant ideology is the ideology espoused by the dominant culture. It is promoted through Ideological State Apparatuses, and often serves as a tool of the ruling class to control the working class. An example of this can be found in the dominant ideology of the US: The American Dream.

This ideology tells us that as long as we work hard and start off with some talent, we can become successful. It promotes capitalism by claiming that success in general can be defined by success in one's job (where the hard work benefits you). It prevents the working class from developing a class consciousness by encouraging them to compete against each other rather than work together to overthrow the ruling class.

The American Dream is promoted through ISAs such as schools and television shows, and is subtly present in almost all facets of life (as dominant ideologies must be in order to be successfully maintained).