Taimur Rahman – Antonio Gramsci: The Imprisoned Philosopher

Antonio Gramsci of Italy was one of the most important and original political and philosophical figures of the 20^th century. He was a staunch antifascist and was jailed for years in Mussolini’s prisons. He wrote with great insight about class, culture, and the state. He said that once the state establishes ideological authority, its use of violence can become unnecessary. Gramsci was critical of intellectuals who play a major role in manufacturing consent for the policies of the hegemon, the leader. He developed such key concepts as cultural hegemony, organic intellectuals, and war of position. He warned of “morbid symptoms” afflicting so-called liberal democratic societies. Today, almost a century after his death, Antonio Gramsci continues to inspire and inform progressive activists.