How does Antonio Gramsci conceptualize hegemony as a mechanism of cultural and ideological domination, and in what ways does his theory invite a critical reassessment of power relations within capitalist societies?

Antonio Gramsci’s theory of hegemony marks a pivotal departure from classical Marxism by emphasizing that domination in capitalist societies is not maintained solely through economic coercion or direct state repression, but also—and more crucially—through the subtle processes of cultural and ideological consent. His elaboration of hegemony as a form of “intellectual and moral leadership” provides … Continue reading How does Antonio Gramsci conceptualize hegemony as a mechanism of cultural and ideological domination, and in what ways does his theory invite a critical reassessment of power relations within capitalist societies?

How does Antonio Gramsci distinguish between hegemony and domination within his theory of power, and what implications does this distinction have for understanding the functioning of state and civil society in maintaining consent in capitalist societies?

Antonio Gramsci’s distinction between hegemony and domination constitutes one of the most significant theoretical innovations in 20th-century Marxist thought. His nuanced understanding of power moves beyond the classical Marxist focus on economic structures and coercive apparatuses to examine how capitalist societies reproduce their rule through a combination of coercion and consent. In Gramsci’s framework, domination … Continue reading How does Antonio Gramsci distinguish between hegemony and domination within his theory of power, and what implications does this distinction have for understanding the functioning of state and civil society in maintaining consent in capitalist societies?