Hegemony: Marxism and Common Sense
Hegemony
Hegemony literally is the control of one over the other within a particular group.
A predominant idea or influence, existing within a certain context is a hegemonic condition. Usually that which is under its influence is not aware of this condition acting over them. It could be referred to as an idea of the subconscious or the state of the sub conscious.
Antonio Gramschi understands hegemony through capitalism. He used the term hegemony to denote the predominance of one social class over others (the bourgeois hegemony). This not only represents the political and economic control, but also the ability of the dominant class to project its own way of seeing the world. Those who are subordinated by it accept it as ‘common sense’ and ‘natural’. However, it is also said that this condition would not be possible without willing and active consent. Common sense, suggests Geoffrey Nowell-Smith, is 'the way a subordinate class lives its subordination' (cited in Alvarado & Boyd-Barrett 1992: 51). Production was a feature of capitalism. However, the product was produced by someone for someone else. It led to the emergence of the owner, the worker and the consumer. As the worker and the consumer were detached there existed a hegemony, which facilitated the exploitation of the worker.
However, Gramshci emphasizes struggle. He noted that ‘common sense is not something rigid and immobile, but is continually transforming itself’ (Gramsci, cited in Hall 1982: 73). As Fiske puts it, ‘Consent must be constantly won and rewon, for people's material social experience constantly reminds them of the disadvantages of subordination and thus poses a threat to the dominant class.’ This posed a threat to the prevalent hegemonic condition.
Hegemony literally is the control of one over the other within a particular group.
A predominant idea or influence, existing within a certain context is a hegemonic condition. Usually that which is under its influence is not aware of this condition acting over them. It could be referred to as an idea of the subconscious or the state of the sub conscious.
Antonio Gramschi understands hegemony through capitalism. He used the term hegemony to denote the predominance of one social class over others (the bourgeois hegemony). This not only represents the political and economic control, but also the ability of the dominant class to project its own way of seeing the world. Those who are subordinated by it accept it as ‘common sense’ and ‘natural’. However, it is also said that this condition would not be possible without willing and active consent. Common sense, suggests Geoffrey Nowell-Smith, is 'the way a subordinate class lives its subordination' (cited in Alvarado & Boyd-Barrett 1992: 51). Production was a feature of capitalism. However, the product was produced by someone for someone else. It led to the emergence of the owner, the worker and the consumer. As the worker and the consumer were detached there existed a hegemony, which facilitated the exploitation of the worker.
However, Gramshci emphasizes struggle. He noted that ‘common sense is not something rigid and immobile, but is continually transforming itself’ (Gramsci, cited in Hall 1982: 73). As Fiske puts it, ‘Consent must be constantly won and rewon, for people's material social experience constantly reminds them of the disadvantages of subordination and thus poses a threat to the dominant class.’ This posed a threat to the prevalent hegemonic condition.