Hegemony

• Synonyms: “Dominance over”,

“exercising power”, “enforcing
Definition ideas”.

• Definition: “the dominance of one

group over another, often supported
by legitimating rules and ideas”.

• Agent, group, class exercise

hegemonic power.

• Hegemonic, hegemon.
Antonio Gramsci

• An Italian critic and thinker.

• Marxist.
• Examined the survival of the capitalist state in
Western countries.
• The supremacy of a certain class, reproduction
of its modes (dominance).
• How the hegemonic ideas are accepted as
commonsensical and normal.
• Distributing popular ideas beyond narrow class
interest.
Hegemony • The hegemon has self-interest in

in action the preservation of the system.

• The hegemon is prepared to

underwrite the system’s security
with its military might.

• The hegemon is responsible for

formulating the rules that govern
interaction within the
international systems.
 • Hegemony and Leadership:

Concept of domination, following

• Hegemony and materials: capabilities
Hegemony (resources, economic status,
population, military power, political
stability). Which one of these is the
most important? Why?
• The hegemonic structure: anarchical or
hierarchical?
• Is there a relation between Hegemony
and Stability? Why/not?
• Unipolar system.
Do you
agree/disagree?
Hegemonic stability theory, according to
Keohane, “holds that hegemonic
structures of power, dominated by a single
country, are most conducive to the
development of strong international
regimes whose rules are relatively precise
and well obeyed” (1980, p. 132).
Examples of
Hegemons
• What do you think of the
following examples? Do they
represent hegemons/hegemonic
powers? Why(not)?
Examples of
Hegemons
• What do you think of the
following examples? Do they
represent hegemons/hegemonic
powers? Why(not)?
 Examples of
Hegemons
What do you think of the
following examples? Do they
represent hegemons/hegemonic
powers? Why(not)?
Examples of
Hegemons
• What do you think of the
following examples? Do
they represent
hegemons/hegemonic
powers? Why(not)?
Other
Examples?
Next
Assignment

Capitalism