Gramsci

Antonio Gramsci (1891–1937) was an Italian Marxist philosopher, politician, and literary critic whose work formed a foundation for Western Marxism and cultural studies. He is best known for developing the concept of cultural hegemony, the idea that ruling classes maintain power through ideological leadership and the consent of subordinate groups, as much as through coercion.

Born in Ales, Sardinia, Gramsci came from a poor family and studied in Turin, where he joined socialist circles and helped found the Communist Party of Italy in 1921. After Mussolini’s rise to power, he was arrested in 1926 and spent the rest of his life in prison, where he produced the Prison Notebooks, a substantial body of essays and notes on politics, culture, education, and philosophy.

Key ideas include the distinction between civil society and political society, and the concept of intellectuals—traditional and organic—who translate a class’s experiences into ideology. Gramsci argued that social change requires a war of position within civil society to build a new consensus and, if possible, a war of maneuver to seize political power. He also emphasized the philosophy of praxis, linking theory to action, and the need to create alternative cultural and educational institutions.

Impact: Gramsci’s work influenced theorists in Western Marxism, critical theory, and cultural studies, shaping analyses of media, education, and ideology. His writings were published posthumously in collections such as Selections from the Prison Notebooks and The Gramsci Reader.