Dr Christopher Kollmeyer 27 Feb 2007 SO4530 Antonio Gramsci: Power through Ideological Leadership
Discussion Facilitator and Brief Essay DateTopic 8 MarchSocial Mobility and Subjective Class Location 15 MarchPost-materialism and Values Politics 22 MarchClass Politics in Post-industrial Society 19 AprilCivil Society and Social Capital 26 AprilCorporations and Interlocking Directorates 3 MayPolitical Awareness & the Media 10 MayGlobalization and National Democracy
Biographical Notes of Interest Italian (born 1891, died 1937) University at Turin (Fiat and class conflict) Co-founder of Italian Communist Party Jailed by Mussolini in 1926 Main works: Prison Notebooks
Culture, Ideology, & Early Marxism Karl Marx Base-Superstructure Exploitation class consciousness Friedrich Engels False consciousness
State-Civil Society Distinction in Politics Rule through State Politics: How much coercion is needed? Compromise Coercion Hegemony (Soft power) Domination (Hard power)
Rule through Civil Society: How accepted are the ideas of the dominant class? Hegemony Leadership Common Sense VeryNot at all Counter- Hegemony? Opposition
Key Concepts Restated The State Civil Society Hegemony –State Politics (compromise) –Civil Society (intellectual leadership) Common Sense Counter-hegemony War of manoeuvre vs. War of position
Summary Modes of rule according to Gramsci: 1.Ideological leadership (CS hegemony) 2.Compromise (Political hegemony) 3.Coercion (Police-military force) Hegemony re-established daily Political change requires new morality