Hegemony Antonio Gramsci

hegemony term used marxists such vladimir lenin denote political leadership of working-class in democratic revolution. gramsci expanded concept, developing acute analysis of how ruling capitalist class – bourgeoisie – establishes , maintains control.

orthodox marxism had predicted socialist revolution inevitable in capitalist societies. 20th century, no such revolution had occurred in advanced nations. capitalism, seemed, more entrenched ever. capitalism, gramsci suggested, maintained control not through violence , political , economic coercion, through ideology. bourgeoisie developed hegemonic culture, propagated own values , norms became common sense values of all. people in working-class (and other classes) identified own good of bourgeoisie, , helped maintain status quo rather revolting.

to counter notion bourgeois values represented natural or normal values society, working class needed develop culture of own. lenin held culture ancillary political objectives, gramsci fundamental attainment of power cultural hegemony achieved first. in gramsci s view, class cannot dominate in modern conditions merely advancing own narrow economic interests; neither can dominate purely through force , coercion. rather, must exert intellectual , moral leadership, , make alliances , compromises variety of forces. gramsci calls union of social forces historic bloc , taking term georges sorel. bloc forms basis of consent social order, produces , re-produces hegemony of dominant class through nexus of institutions, social relations, , ideas. in way, gramsci s theory emphasized importance of political , ideological superstructure in both maintaining , fracturing relations of economic base.

gramsci stated bourgeois cultural values tied folklore, popular culture , religion, , therefore of analysis of hegemonic culture aimed @ these. impressed influence roman catholicism had , care church had taken prevent excessive gap developing between religion of learned , of less educated. gramsci saw marxism marriage of purely intellectual critique of religion found in renaissance humanism , elements of reformation had appealed masses. gramsci, marxism supersede religion if met people s spiritual needs, , people have think of expression of own experience.

for gramsci, hegemonic dominance relied on consented coercion, , in crisis of authority masks of consent slip away, revealing fist of force.