Hegemony and Class Struggle


Book Description

Leon Trotsky and Antonio Gramsci are two of the most important Marxist thinkers of the 20th century. This book explores the similarities and the differences between their philosophical and political theories. The first and second chapters deal with a still under-investigated aspect of Trotsky’s thought, i.e. his reflections on the issue of hegemony. The third chapter focuses on Gramsci’s critique of Trotsky in his Prison Notebooks, analysing Gramsci’s knowledge of Trotsky’s positions as well as the scope and limits of Gramsci’s critique. The fourth chapter consists of a critical rereading of Perry Anderson's essay Antinomies of Antonio Gramsci, originally published in 1976 and republished in 2017 and an analysis of the book Gramsci and Trotsky in the Shadow of Stalinism by Emanuele Saccarelli. The result is an investigation that offers new insight into both Trotsky’s and Gramsci’s thought, while proposing a new point of view from which to interpret revolutionary theory and strategy in the contemporary scenario. One of the main topics addressed throughout the three essays is the specific position of the problem of hegemony in a theory of permanent revolution, demonstrating that Trotsky had a particular understanding of the question of hegemony and that Gramsci, in turn, introduced a concept of hegemony that is closely associated with an idea of permanent revolution, such that the dynamics of the relationship between democratic struggles and socialist struggles presented in both theories are very similar.




Lenin and the Logic of Hegemony


Book Description

In Lenin and the Logic of Hegemony, by means of a careful textual and contextual analysis of the writings of Lenin and his Marxist contemporaries, Alan Shandro traces the contours of the ‘(anti-) metaphysical event’ identified by Gramsci in Lenin’s political practice and theory, the emergence of the ‘philosophical fact’ of hegemony. In so doing, he effectively disputes conventional caricatures of Lenin’s role as a political actor and thinker and unearths the underlying parameters of the concept of hegemony in the class struggle. He thereby clarifies the conceptual status of this pervasive but now increasingly elusive notion and the logic of theory and practice at work in it.




Hegemony and Socialist Strategy


Book Description

In this hugely influential book, Laclau and Mouffe examine the workings of hegemony and contemporary social struggles, and their significance for democratic theory. With the emergence of new social and political identities, and the frequent attacks on Left theory for its essentialist underpinnings, Hegemony and Socialist Strategy remains as relevant as ever, positing a much-needed antidote against 'Third Way' attempts to overcome the antagonism between Left and Right.




Hegemony


Book Description

Hegemony: A Realist Analysis is a new and original approach to this important concept. It presents a theoretical history of the use of hegemony in a range of work starting with a discussion of Gramsci and Russian Marxism and going on to look at more recent applications. It examines the current debates and discusses the new direction to Marx made by Jacques Derrida, before outlining a critical realist/Marxist alternative. This book employs critical realist philosophy in an explanatory way to help clarify the concept of hegemony and its relation to societal processes. This work contributes to recent debates in social science and political philosophy, developing both the concept of hegemony itself, and the work of critical realism.







The Antinomies of Antonio Gramsci


Book Description

A major essay on the thought of the great Italian Marxist Perry Anderson’s essay “The Antinomies of Antonio Gramsci,” first published in New Left Review in 1976, was an explosive analysis of the central strategic concepts in the thought of the great Italian Marxist. Since then it has been the subject of book-length attacks across four decades for its disentangling of the hesitations and contradictions in Gramsci’s highly original usage of such key dichotomies as East and West, domination and direction, hegemony and dictatorship, state and civil society, and war of position and war of movement. In a critical tribute to the international richness of Gramsci’s work, the essay shows how deeply embedded these notions were in the revolutionary debates in Tsarist Russia and Wilhelmine Germany. Here arguments crisscrossed between Plekhanov, Lenin, Kautsky, Luxemburg, Lukács and Trotsky, with later echoes in Brecht and Benjamin. A new preface considers the objections the essay provoked and the reasons for them. This edition also includes the first English translation of Athos Lisa’s report on Gramsci’s lectures in prison.




Hegemony and Revolution


Book Description

As a result of his inquiry into the nature of class, culture, and the state, Antonio Gramsci became one of the most influential Marxist theorists. Hegemony and Revolution is the first full-fledged study of Gramsci's Prison Notebooks in the light of his pre-prison career as a socialist and communist militant and a highly original Marxist intellectual. Walter Adamson shows how Gramsci's concepts of revolution grew out of his experience with the Turin worker councils of 1919-1920 as well as his experience combatting the Fascist movement.For Gramsci, revolution meant the steady ascension of a mass-based, educated, and organized "collective will," in which the final seizure of power would be the climax of a broader educative process. Success depended on countering not just the coercive power of the existing economic and political order but also the cultural hegemony of the state. A "counter-hegemony" for Gramsci required the leadership of an organized political party, but at its core lay his conviction that the common people were capable of self-enlightenment and could produce an alternative conception of the world that challenged the prevailing hegemonic culture.Adamson shows how these ideas, which Gramsci developed prior to his imprisonment, led him to a highly original concept of "subaltern" class movements that cohere not just on the basis of economic interest but by virtue of religious, ideological, regional, folkloric, and other sorts of cultural ties as well. These ideas of Gramsci have had enormous influence on a wide variety of subsequent cultural theories including postcolonialism and Foucault-style analyses of discursive practices.




Cultural Hegemony in a Scientific World


Book Description

A comprehensive survey of how scientific disciplines have always been informed by politics and ideology on the basis of the Gramscian views in historical materialism, hegemony and civil society.




Marxist International Relations Theory


Book Description

In the evolving field of international relations, Marxist theory provides a crucial perspective, revealing hidden structures and challenging traditional views. This journey through "Marxist International Relations Theory" offers deep insights into political science. Here’s a concise guide to each chapter: Chapters Highlights: 1. Marxist International Relations Theory: Explore global politics through Marxism, examining surplus extraction and power dynamics shaping our world. 2. Conflict Theories: Understand conflicts beyond surface-level, focusing on economic and social tensions, class struggles, and geopolitical rivalries. 3. Cultural Hegemony: Investigate how dominant ideologies influence culture and perpetuate inequality through cultural hegemony. 4. Marxism: Dive into Marxist thought—historical materialism, class struggle, and dialectical processes—offering rigorous intellectual exploration. 5. Marxian Class Theory: Study the historical class divide, from bourgeoisie to proletariat, and its role in societal transformation. 6. Marxist Schools of Thought: Examine diverse Marxist perspectives, from Gramsci to Althusser, each offering unique insights into power relations. 7. Analytical Marxism: Delve into concepts with precision, questioning assumptions and analyzing social phenomena. 8. Neo-Marxism: Explore contemporary issues such as globalization and identity through Neo-Marxist perspectives. 9. Historical Materialism: Understand how historical materialism drives societal change, offering a compass for analyzing the past and present. 10. Marxist Philosophy: Go beyond politics to explore Marxist philosophy—dialectics, alienation, and human liberation. 11. Frankfurt School: Discover how Frankfurt School thinkers challenge cultural and ideological norms, impacting media and culture. 12. Critical Criminology: Examine how capitalist structures contribute to criminality, offering profound revelations. 13. Primary Stage of Socialism: Explore the transition from capitalism to socialism, assessing its challenges and possibilities. 14. Base and Superstructure: Learn how economic relations (the base) shape culture, law, and institutions (the superstructure). 15. Classical Marxism: Revisit Marx and Engels’ foundational ideas, tracing their historical influence. 16. Marxist Literary Criticism: Analyze how literature reflects and influences societal norms through a Marxist lens. 17. Marxist Historiography: Discover how Marxist historians challenge dominant narratives and uncover hidden voices. 18. Marxian Economics: Examine key concepts like surplus value, exploitation, and capitalism’s contradictions. 19. False Consciousness: Uncover the illusions that obscure our understanding and impede collective action. 20. Outline of Marxism: Synthesize Marxist thought into a comprehensive understanding, connecting key concepts. 21. Marxist Ethics: Explore Marxist ethical principles, focusing on justice and human flourishing beyond profit. This book is ideal for professionals seeking new perspectives, students craving intellectual challenge, enthusiasts who question the status quo, and curious minds eager for transformative insights. The journey offers invaluable knowledge at a modest cost.




The Antagonistic Principle


Book Description

In this important contribution to political theory, Massimo Modonesi develops the thesis that a Marxist theory of political action can be developed from the notion of antagonism, defined as a distinctive feature of struggle and of the political experience of insubordination.