Antonio Gramsci was an Italian Marxist theorist active in the early 20th century. He played a key role in transitioning Marxism from economic determinism to more modern positions. Gramsci's writings occurred in two periods - before and during his imprisonment by Mussolini's fascist government. While his pre-prison writings were politically focused, his prison writings were more theoretical and historical. Gramsci believed revolutionary ideas were generated by intellectual elites and spread to the masses, who then enacted revolution. However, the masses could not generate these ideas independently and needed guidance from elites. Gramsci focused on collective ideas rather than just economic structures and emphasized the importance of cultural dominance, or hegemony, in achieving and maintaining revolutionary

1. Antonio
Gramsci

2. W
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G
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The Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci (1891-
1037) played a key role in the transition
from economic determinism to more
modern Marxian positions.
Gramsci’s political and social writings
occur in two periods, pre-prison (1910–
1926) and prison (1929–35). His pre-prison
writings tend to be politically specific,
while his prison writings tend to be more
historical and theoretical.

3. Social Revolutions
Although Gramsci recognized the importance of structural factors,
especially the economy, he did not believe that these structural
factors led the masses to revolt.
The masses needed to develop a revolutionary ideology, but they
could not do that on their own.
Gramsci operated with a rather elitist conception - in which ideas
were generated by intellectuals and then extended to the masses
and put into practice by them.
The masses could not generate such ideas, and they could
experience them, once in existence, only on faith.

4. Elites Collectivism
Hegemony
a b Coercion
The masses could not become self-conscious on their
own; they needed the help of social elites.
However, once the masses had been influenced by
these ideas, they would take the actions that lead to
social revolution.
Focused on collective ideas rather than on social
structures like the economy.

5. HEGEMONY
Cultural leadership exercised by the ruling
class.
domination within capitalism through
revolution, it is not enough to gain control
of the economy and the state apparatus; it
is also necessary to gain cultural leadership
over the rest of society.
Gramsci argued that consent to the rule of
the dominant group is achieved by the
spread of ideologies—beliefs, assumptions,
and values—through social institutions
such as schools, churches, courts, and the
media, among others.

6. Socially powerful people
use cultural influence to
let less powerful class to
adapt in a certain social
structure and culture to
achieve the powerful
people's best interest.
The Prison
Notebooks
The old world is dying,
and the new world
struggles to be born;
now is the time of
monsters

7. Tomorrow...
Georg Lukács was born on April 13, 1885 in Budapest
as Bernát György Löwinger.
His most widely read works are the Theory of the
Novel of 1916 and History and Class Consciousness of
1923.
Lukacs’ History and Class Consciousness (1923)
advocated a more humanist approach to class
struggle in contrast to the authoritarian Soviet
model.
Unlike many Soviet thinkers of his age, he repudiated
the “inevitability” of revolution for he was of the view
that revolution had to be a conscious and creative
process rather than being dogmatic and coercive.