Hegemony

Between 1929 and 1935, the Italian communist Antonio Gramsci wrote approximately thirty documents on political, social and cultural subjects. His most widely echoed concept is that of 'hegemony'. According to Gramsci, a social class achieves a predominant influence and power, not by direct and overt means but by succeeding in making its ideological views so pervasive that the subordinate classes unwittingly accept and participate in their own oppression. Hegemony is akin to ideology but is more than that. Hegemony works most effectively when the dominated accept their domination. Hegemony refers to the process- including ideology- through which the dominant classes maintain power through the consent of the people. The concept of hegemony implies an openness to negotiation and exchange as well as conflict between classes and so refashions Marxist categories to fit in a modern post industrial society. Gramsci also emphasize the role of intellectuals and opinion- makers in helping people understand how they can effect their transformation. These thoughts influenced Terry Eagleton, Fredric Jameson who argue for the power of literary culture to intervene in and transform existing economic and political arrangements and activities.