Tag: Antonio Gramsci

Antonio Gramsci (1891–1937)

Antonio Gramsci, an Italian Marxist theorist, politician, and revolutionary, is renowned for his contributions to Marxist theory, particularly his concepts of cultural hegemony and the role of intellectuals in society. Born in Sardinia, Gramsci was a founding member of the Italian Communist Party and became one of its most influential thinkers, even during his imprisonment by Mussolini’s fascist regime.

Gramsci’s theory of cultural hegemony expanded Marxist thought by analyzing how the ruling class maintains power not only through economic means but by dominating cultural and ideological institutions. He argued that control over culture—media, education, religion, and family—allowed the bourgeoisie to perpetuate consent for their rule among the proletariat, even against their own material interests. Gramsci proposed that the working class must create its own “counter-hegemony” to challenge capitalist dominance.

Gramsci also emphasized the importance of intellectuals in the revolutionary struggle, categorizing them as “traditional” (aligned with the status quo) or “organic” (emerging from and connected to the working class). He believed organic intellectuals were essential to building class consciousness and advancing revolutionary goals.

Despite harsh prison conditions, Gramsci produced the Prison Notebooks, a seminal work that continues to influence Marxist theory, critical pedagogy, and cultural studies worldwide.