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ANALYSIS ON ANTI CAPITALISM IN THE —CLAMPDOWN“ LYRIC BY THE CLASH
A THESIS JOURNAL
Submitted by: ALIF SETIAWAN NIM. A2B008103
FACULTY OF HUMANITIES DIPONEGORO UNIVERSITY SEMARANG 2013
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Analysis on Anti Capitalism in the —Clampdown“ Lyric by The Clash By Alif Setiawan Faculty of Humanities Diponegoro University
ABSTRACT Kapitalisme merupakan sistem sosial yang diterapkan dalam sebuah Negara untuk mengatur infrastruktur dalam sebuah Negara termasuk masyarakat dan seluruh institusi di dalamnya. Di dalam lirik —Clampdown“ yang ditulis oleh The Clash pada tahun 1979 di London, Untied Kingdom, penulis menemukan adanya indikasi penolakan terhadap sistem sosial yang diterapkan oleh pemerintahan di United Kingdom. Penulis menggunakan pendekatan sosiologi terhadap lirik tersebut guna mendapatkan informasi lebih lanjut terhadap lirik mengingat masalah yang terkandung di dalam lirik merupakan masalah tentang struktur sosial di dalam sebuah Negara. Dengan mengacu pada teori Karl Marx yang menolak kapitalisme sebagai sistem sosial, penulis memanfaatkan hubungan teori tersebut dengan lirik guna mencapai hasil penelitian yang ingin dituju. Dalam melakukan pembelajaran terhadap lirik tersebut, penulis menemukan penolakan yang cukup kuat terhadap kapitalisme yang muncul di Inggris pada masa itu. Adanya perbedaan kelas sosial yang kental di Inggris pada saat itu membuat The Clash menyuarakan suara masyarakat terhadap kondisi yang mereka hadapi. Mengingat pada tahun 70an, masyarakat Inggris sedang mengalami banyak masalah di dalam tubuh Negara. Dimulai dari inflasi yang tinggi serta tingkat pengangguran yang mencapai tingkat tertinggi pada akhir 70an sampai dengan pembatasan pembagian jatah listrik di setiap daerah. Hal tersebut merugikan semua pihak di Inggris pada masa itu. Namun yang paling mendapat tekanan dari keadaan tersebut tentu saja kaum proletar. Kesenjangan social yang terjadi saja sudah cukup mengganggu kententraman hidup mereka sehari-hari. Dengan keadaan seperti itu di Inggris mereka mendapat penderitaan berkali-kali lipat banyaknya setiap hari. Di dalam lirik —Clampdown“ The Clash mengajak kaum kelas bawah untuk melakukan revolusi terhadap keadaan di Inggris pada saat itu. Dengan memanfaatkan semangat para pemuda di Inggris mereka mengajak masyarakat untuk melakukan perlawanan terhadap sistem sosial yang berjalan pada saat itu. Mereka juga menunjukkan hal-hal yang dapat dilakukan kaum kapitalisme dalam memanipulasi dan mengeksploitasi masyarakat untuk terus berada di dalam sistem kapitalis. Alienasi yang dilakukan kaum kapitalis terhadap kaum pekerja juga tidak luput dari perhatian The Clash untuk membuat mereka sadar bahwa para pekerja telah diperas waktu dan tenaganya setiap hari karna bekerja untuk kaum kapitalis.
A. Background of Study and Sense) states that “poetry might Literature is known as a be defined as a kind of language that particular sort of writing containing says more and says it more intensely literary works and it has been a part than does ordinary language“ (1956: of our life. Laurence Perrine in his 3). book Literature (Structure, Sound 3
People may feel familiar with Literature that —the boundary lines literary works such as prose, poetry between these two division cannot, and play, as those are the kind of of course, be drawn with precision literary works that we usually found. and in much poetry, especially in our Prose is described as a literary work extremely composite modern poetry, that is not in verse. Prose is more like personal and impersonal elements spoken language, such as folklore continually combine“ ( 1913 :125- and legend. Meanwhile, play may be 126). known as a drama played in a stage B. The Clash Biography or in theatre. Stands for one of the The Clash was a punk rock oldest genres in literary history, band from London, England, United poetry is quiet hard to explain to the Kingdom, active from 1976 to 1985. exact language. Hudson in his book As one of the most successful and Án Introduction To The Study of iconic bands from the first wave of Literature quotes some explanations punk in the 1970s, they incorporated of poetry: rock and roll, reggae, rockabilly, and Poetry says Johnson is eventually many other music styles —metrical composition“. It is —the art into their repertoire. They were of uniting pleasure with truth by legendary for their uncommonly calling imagination to help of intense stage performances. At first, reason“ and its —essence“ is punk was an ideology that emerged —invention“[...] Poetry says Shelly, from the lower class youth who felt —in a general sense may be defined as oppressed by the system of the expression of the imagination; it government which made them is, says Hazlitt, —the language of the difficult to get a job to continue their imagination and the passions““ lives. The writer looks up to Bindas (1913: 82-83). in The Future is Unwritten: Meanwhile, the term poetry In 1976, more than one indicates to poet; person who makes million persons were out of work and verse. Poet is also a member of the inflation rate soared above 18 society who shares the same percent; The New Statesman environment just like other people. estimated that 35 percent of those As Warren and Welleck claims in under twenty-five years of age were their book Theory of Literature that unemployed. After graduation at —the poet himself is a member of sixteen, thousands of young people society, possess of a specific social immediately went on he dole, which status, receives some degree of social quickly symbolized the problems in recognition and reward and addresses Britain (1993: 69). an audience, however hypothetical“ While class struggle in the (1949: 89). In poetry, the poet goes capitalist system was in progress of out of himself, mingles with the incessant, a new ideology emerged action and passion in his world and with an attribute that was quite deals with what he discovers in live surprising. Punk itself soon expanded with reference to his own into the music industry during the individuality. As Hudson states in An domination of rock and roll and Introduction to The Study of progressive rock that required skill to 4
create great and comprehended system“ (1985:51). For further music. Punk immediately rejected, at information of what kind of the time, about the music that had to economic system does it related, the put the skill to create music. They writer quotes from Ayn Rand, he considered that everyone could make claims that —capitalism is a social music, everyone had the right to be a system based on the recognition of musician and everyone was able to individual rights, including property create good music. In the spirit of do- rights, in which all property is it-yourself (DIY) ethic, punk privately owned“ (1967:19). In other immediately distorted the music words, capitalism allows someone to industry which was dominated with deal with something or not as his or rock and roll music and progressive her individual judgment and interest, rock. and hypothetically its relationships The Clash formed in 1976 are voluntary. Therefore, it is fair to with Joe Strummer in rhythm guitar say that a member of society, are free and vocal, Mick Jones in melody, to set everything he wants without Paul Simonon in bass and Nicky dealing with the government first. —Topper“ Headon on drum. Their However, it does not work that way 1979 album London Calling was unfortunately. As Milton Friedman considered by critics as one of the wrote in Capitalism and Freedom: greatest albums in the history of rock A citizen of the United States music. Joe Strummer the lead guitar who is under the laws of various wrote almost all of the lyrics and states is not free to follow the Mick Jones managed most of their occupation of his or her own choice music. Bassist Paul Simonon‘s unless he or she can get a license for background in painting helped shape it. It is just being deprived of an the band artistic overview. The essential part of his or her freedom drummer —Topper“ Headon was a (1982: 9). journeyman drummer who found his It is interesting how passion for playing with The Clash. capitalism work its relationship into With these mix personalities, they voluntary, yet Gramsci complained were once told as —the perfect about voluntary relationship in The engine“. Unfortunately this band was Gramsci Reader: broken up their harmony and decided The word is meaningless or it to split up in the 1985. is used with the meaning of arbitrary C. The Definition of will. Will, in a Marxist sense, said Capitalism and the Characteristic the awareness of ends which means of the Capitalist Society exact knowledge of one's own power Capitalism as a word came in and the intention to express its early 19 century, and it is being said action. Therefore, the class becomes closely related to social system. distinct, individual, compactly Looking up on Raymond Williams organized and disciplined to its own Keywords: A Vocabulary of Culture specific ends without wavering or and Society, it is being said that being deflected at the first place —capital and at first capitalist were (2000: 38) technical terms in any economic 5
In the capitalist society, the The issue that may be arising government has drawn a line for in the capitalist system seems not people so they can live properly good for the proletariat. To respond under the law regarding their free the proletariat situation in the relationships in society. However, capitalist country Antonio Gramsci the fact about the imbalance situation writes: occurred in the society especially The proletarian revolution proletariat could not be put behind as cannot but be a total revolution. It the workers in the development of consists in the foundation of new industrialization are facing the modes of labor, new modes of exploitation, alienation, production and distribution that are discrimination, etc. We can take peculiar to the working class in its example of workers in the factory. historical determination in the course Every worker has to responsible for of the capitalist process (2000: 70). all processes in their job to produce the desired product of a company. That is more or less having However, in the process, not all the same purpose as Raymond workers have the power to decide Williams in Marx and Literature. He over what would happen next to the stated that —it is not the goods output. They have no power consciousness of men that over what they do and they know determines their being, but, on the nothing of what will happen to the contrary, their social being that goods of their products. They only determines their consciousness“ have limited responsibility for their (1977: 75). time given to complete the D. 1970s in the United Kingdom production of the goods by their Throughout the 70s, the bosses. This kind of work ethic in the United Kingdom was in seemingly capitalist system seems not good never ending recession, and at the enough. The effect of this situation end of decade the oil crisis and gas may cause psychological issues on shortage continued. High inflation the worker in making decision and unemployment, riots in the outside the workplace as it is suburbs, racism and constraints on discussed in The Capitalist System: A the labor movement caused social Radical Analysis of American problem and poverty among the Society: working classes. Bindas quoted Effective participation in McLaren, who was the manager of decision making requires certain The Clash, in The Future is skills (keeping one self informed, Unwritten: understanding the issues, presenting …I was listening to the radio one‘s viewpoint clearly and in ”75 and there was some expert forcefully) and certain attitudes (a blabbing about how if things go on motivation to participate, and the self as they are there‘ll be 800,000 people confidence to do so) which a worker unemployed by 1979, while another shut off from decision making at guy was saying that if that happened work (1978: 267). there‘d be chaos, there‘d be actual- anarchy in the streets (1993:70). 6
The highest inflation Kingdom. Rich and poor people were occurred in the United Kingdom in experienced the oil price spike and 1975. Stewart Morrison in The Social electricity restriction. Although Structure of Modern Britain says that inflation was going up and down in —the rate of inflation was high […] the late 70s, but it somehow showed peaking July 1975 at 26%“; it was indication to recovered and made not until 1983 that inflation slowed“ good effect on the rate of (2005:2). The situation was tearing unemployment. It is mentioned by the nation torn apart. Margaret Matthew (2010) while he compared Thatcher, who led at the end of the the situation with 1980s: 70s, did not make the situation better. Many projects were killed by The surprising act from Thatcher was the mid-70s recession and the oil when she went on television and price spike. […] inflation was under talked about immigrant in Britain. 10% again, unemployment was far Matthew (2010) writes that lower than it would be in the 80s, —Margaret Thatcher […] and so on. Yet the dominant unexpectedly called from and end to narrative is that the 70s recession immigration, to stop foreigners from was awful, while the 80s recessions taking British jobs“. Riot was were necessary. I think this is down uncontrolled when British has to one key fact: the 70s recession hit Thatcher as their back up from taking the rich and the middle class, their rights from immigrant. whereas in the 80s it was the poor The situation of high rate who got screwed. unemployment and inflation was not E. Background of over. British still has to struggle to —Clampdown“ lyric get a proper life in their country. In The lyric was written in 1979 Julien Temple‘s The Filth and the by The Clash who came from Fury (2000), the punk icon Johnny England. In that favor, the lyric tells Rotten of The Sex Pistols gives his the listener about the situation in view: England. In the 70s, United Kingdom England was in state of social experienced such unbalanced social upheaval. […] There was rioting all circumstance that hit every level of over the place, strikes on every kind society. The poor, the reach was of amenity you could think of. Tv suffered by inflation and high rate of channels would go on and off unemployment. It was started by oil randomly. People were fed up with and gas shortages to the uncontrolled the old way; the old way was clearly rate of unemployment which affected not working (0:02:47-0:03:18). by the Second World War. The The young working class difficult social circumstances in generation felt alienated by the England at that time made public had government system and to them the to stand against the authority to take regime of British socio-economic their own rights that should be given system was failure. to them. It shows by the first to third lines of the lyric below: The recession in the 70s hit The kingdom is ransacked Line 1 all levels of society in the United 7
The jewels all taken back Line 2 Karl Marx predicted in the capitalist country about the development of And the chopper descends Line 3 industrialization. The proletariat will The bold-printed words make union to stand against the above are things that commonly ruling party to take over what they owned by capitalist. The first lines deserve and this fight will not end in above, —the kingdom is ransacked“, one or two days because the will generate question about what capitalist will also defend their has happened to the kingdom that it properties and everything that they could be robbed. Something that have got within the years of their might be the answer is the works. This lyric clearly brings indignation of public against the Marxism spirit to stand against leadership of the king or queen capitalist with the force of the low represented England at that time. class society. The three lines above Moreover, the economic situation reflect what the low class might do to was going through the hard times. the domination of capitalist when The high rate of unemployment, they are unite to fight the capitalist. inflation, electricity restriction made They're hidden in the back Line 4 public lost control at that time. People thought that if it was going to With a message on a half-baked tape continue, it might become worse, and Line 5 the next step that would possibly be taken was to take by force what was With the spool goes round Line 6 rightfully theirs. Meanwhile, these three lines On the third line, the situation show an advance situation from the develops with line —and the chopper three previous lines before. On the descends“. The writer assumes that it lines above the capitalist began to be is about the advanced situation of the cornered by the actions of the public previous line. The authority comes to who dared to fight against the settle down the situation or even authority. The word —they‘re“ in line fight against the protesters, four refers to the capitalists that are considering that United Kingdom is secured from the heated situation monarchy constitution and has between the authority and the authority as their government to proletariat who demand justice for manage the social condition. It can their fate. Within line one to six, the be the image that is shown by The listener can see an indication of Clash to describe the situation in a revolution by the proletariat. As capitalist country where publics are Gramsci noted as the proletarian not satisfied with the system they revolution that consists new decide to fight against it. foundation to the society through the Furthermore, the capitalist do not determination in the course of the stay in their chamber just to see what capitalist process. New psychology, the proletariat might do to their new way of feeling, new modes properties. They, of course, will fight production and distribution on the back and this is not going to end system are needed to change the well. This is one of the situations that society that the proletarian consider broke. 8
Taking off his turban, they said, is of them. He was received well high this man a Jew? Line 11 education due to his father was one of the government member. In that ‘Cos working for the clampdown case, the writer assumes it is not a Line 12 misunderstanding but it is a purpose. The lyric above shows the The Clash wanted to show how hatred of public against the capitalist. apathetic people in England were at However, the lack of power to get that time to the immigrants. The line into the capitalist circle makes —taking off his turban, they say, is people throw their fight to those who this man a Jew?“ means the public are in their range. This was happened take the identity of someone and use in United Kingdom in the 70s when it as a stereotype. This is an after- people thought that Jews, Pakistani effect that may occur in the capitalist and the other immigrants are the country. People who lose their rights right hand of the capitalist to take will be able to do anything to take and to dominate the United Kingdom back what is rightfully theirs because economy. The immigrants came to the government who should be England to get a job while the public responsible chooses not to pay in United Kingdom was not in a attention to the people. good economic condition and many They put up a poster saying we earn of them were unemployed. Those more than you! Line 13 situations triggered riots that happened in United Kingdom in the When we're working for the 70s. It proves that public awareness clampdown Line 14 is important in society and the lack The sentence that contains of it will cause a civil war when the satire above is a message from The real enemy is watching and doing Clash to the listener so they will get nothing. The British was their sense back together and not misunderstanding though, because caught up in the game served by the immigrant is just another victim capitalist. The Clash wants reader to of another social system. be aware of what might the capitalist Another example about the do to them and not forget about the ignorance of public in United hatred that should have been Kingdom is also show on the line addressed to the capitalist by using above. Turban is a kind of headgear satire on public belief. The ridiculous used by Muslim while the Jews used public‘s belief quipped by The Clash to cover their head with yamakas or through the lines above is evidence kippah. However, is that true that of the presence about anti-capitalism The Clash shows the ignorance of aspect contained on the lyric. The British by saying —turban“ is worn by capitalist who also called the ruling —Jew“? Or is it just the error by The party will always manage the Clash to say turban is for Jew? workers in doing their job. That is Previously, the writer takes a look on just the rule of the company where Joe Strummer, one of the most the capitalist as someone who has the productive members that created The material and the machine will always Clash‘s lyric and —Clampdown“ is on be the boss of the proletariat who 9
work for them. Apparently, it will them. The writer sees a message indirectly eliminate the workers from The Clash to their listener to instinct in dealing with problems or keep their awareness to the power of deciding something out of their work capitalist in manipulating the place because they have been psychology of youth as the successor accustomed to follow the instructions of the nation. Anti-capitalism is of their superiors at work. This is one shown by The Clash on the lyric of the issues arising in a capitalist above as the listener could feel the country. Karl Marx referred this as warning through the figure of speech alienation. Alienation of workers is a above. state where the workers lose their The judge said five to ten but I say ability to decide something or to double that again Line 19 resolve problem at work. They even have no power to know what will I'm not working for the clampdown happen to the goods they produced in Line 20 the work place because they have Those lines are closely been programmed to follow the rules related to Gramsci‘s explanation of the company in order to maximize about Marx theory in the previous production process. In the capitalist chapter about proletarian revolution. society when the authority is the The Clash says that we, as low class capitalist, public will be controlled in workers, are the one who should start whatever they do. The voluntary the revolution. The lines above state relationship in capitalism seems that we need a new standards, new worthless, because the freedom in psychology, and new way of feeling. society, economy and politic are just The right attitude is showed by the dreams. narrator of the lyric says he is willing We will teach our twisted speech to receive the bigger punishment but Line 15 he do not want to work for the capitalist. The Clash invites the To the young believers listener to be brave against the threat Line 16 of the capitalist system, because they believe that the youngster is capable We will train our blue-eyed men of doing something for the nation. Line 17 But, you grow up and you calm down and Line 33 To be young believers Line 18 You're working for the clampdown The lines above are message Line 34 from The Clash to inform what the capitalist could possibly do against You start wearing the blue and the youth that supposed to be the brown and Line 35 successor of the nation. Those lines say that the character —we“, refers to You're working for the clampdown the capitalist, are capable to make the Line 36 second character —blue-eyed men“ So you got someone to boss around which the writer believes as symbol Line 37 of the innocent men being one of 10
It makes you feel big now received higher education than the Line 38 blue collar. It is also due to the development of the industry, where You drift until you brutalize the capitalist need more qualified Line 39 workers to manage the complicated things in the production process. It is You made your first kill now certainly detrimental to certain Line 40 parties, especially blue collar The stanza above tells the workers who do not have enough listener about the situation that the education to work a little lighter in youngsters will grow up and the office environment. eventually give up fighting the capitalist power. This is a fact about The capitalist will take the the spirits and energy of youth which advantage from the workers to starts to fade away after growing up produce goods for company to the and they will try to settle in into the degree of —brutal“. The proletariat capitalist system. On the lines above, only has time and energy to support The Clash describes about situation their lives and it is going to be taken when youth, who should stand by the capitalist in the capitalist against capitalist, is growing up and system. Those things are rarely starting to lose their spirit to fight recognized by the low class worker. capitalism and choose to fit in into They are not aware of their own the capitalist system. situation where the capitalist is taking their time and energy to keep In line thirty five to thirty six, working in the company. It may be we can see another example of what caused by the unwritten law in the capitalist could do to the society capitalist country as —they, who have system. In the phrase —blue and power, will live longer“. It is brown“, the writer sees the level of probably not much different from the workers. Blue collar workers are law in the jungle where the animals those who are usually located in the who have power will survive by factory for production in the eating the weaker animals. company. They usually have a leader F. Conclusion who will regulate every movement of The lyric —Clampdown“ the blue collar workers in the written by The Clash is one of their production process and in each statements toward the social system section. By the development of and the conditions of working class industry and the grown up level, it is under capitalism. The Clash invites the white collar worker. White collar the listener to rise up and fight workers are those who work in the against the capitalist through the idea office. They do not deal directly to of capitalist system in the lyric. The the production process. They are Clash, as a punk band that is famous involved into the regulation of for their lyric, always discusses about production by blue collar. Both the the social and political issues as Joe blue collar and white collar have Strummer the lead guitar of The different levels. Typically, white collar workers are those who 11
Clash famously stated that —punk for proletariats are still oppressed in the me is a social movement“. capitalist system because they are not Furthermore, the situation of free enough to make decision in the the low class worker is really workplace. After the situation dreadful by the system committed by happens continuously, the situation the capitalist starting from of the capitalist and society may get exploitation by the capitalist until the better and people will live without alienation of the workers that seems classes and discrimination among not right in the social system. The them. Clash mostly states about the situation of the proletariat in the G. Bibliography social system occupied by the Bindas, Kenneth J. 1993. The Future capitalist and the lyric invites the Is Unwritten: The Clash, listener to realize the real situation in Punk and America, 1977- the capitalist system. The system 1982. American Studies. states that capitalists define their Friedman, Milton. 1982. Capitalism science as the study of managing the and Freedom. The University communities or nation‘s resources. of Chicago Press However, the resources itself turned Forgacs, David, and Eric J. out to be the proletariat and the fact Hobsbawm. 2000. The that the human itself, as the principal Antonio Gramsci Reader: of the resources, become specific as Selected Writings 1916-1935 the capitalists need human as the By Antonio Gramsci. factors of production in their land, Publisher: N.Y.U Press. forest and mines.