Antonio Gramsci

Antonio Gramsci was an Italian Marxist thinker known for his ideas on culture, power, and social change. He believed that ruling classes maintain control not just through force, but by shaping culture and common sense—what he called "hegemony." Gramsci emphasized the importance of intellectual and cultural leadership in achieving socialism, suggesting that social change requires a transformation of ideas and values. His work contributes to critical theory and historical materialism by exploring how societal structures influence consciousness and political authority, highlighting a nuanced approach to understanding power dynamics within societies.