It’s Gramsci, all the way down: the furtive history of cultural hegemony

One of the most influential scholars in the Marxist tradition is Antonio Gramsci. Writing in the early part of the 20th century, Gramsci developed the idea of “cultural hegemony.” Explained simply, cultural hegemony refers to the imposition of cultural norms by the ruling class as a means of maintaining its hold on power, its domination of everyday life in every sphere: social, economic, and political. By establishing these norms, the ruling class is able to rule without the explicit use of force (though the implicit threat always…