ABSTRACT
This chapter analyses the central element of Gramsci’s thought, his theory of hegemony. It maps the word’s development from Russian and Italian sources to Gramsci’s conception of it as cultural and political leadership. Gramsci’s adoption of the term represents a break with the Marxist emphasis on ideology introduced in the previous chapter. Hegemony is a more sensitive and therefore useful critical term than ‘domination’, which fails to acknowledge the active role of subordinate people in the operation of power. The chapter proposes that Gramsci defines hegemony through a series of distinctions between different moments within the hegemonic process. It therefore isolates his notes on coercion and consent, domination and leadership, ‘common sense’ and ‘good sense’ and ‘limited’ and ‘expansive’ hegemony to show how these details build into a nuanced conception of political and cultural authority.
