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Hegemony and Socialist Strategy: Towards a Radical Democratic Politics Paperback – May 17, 2001

by Ernesto Laclau (Author), Chantal Mouffe (Author)

9 customer reviews

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Hegemony And Socialist Strategy: Towards A Radical Democratic Politics (Radical Thinkers)
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Since its original publication fifteen years ago, this hugely influential book has been at the centre of much debate. The arguments and controversies it has aroused are, furthermore, far from abating: the disintegration of the Soviet bloc, the emergence of new social and political identities linked to the transformation of late capitalism, and the crisis of a left-wing project whose essentialist underpinnings have increasingly come under fire have, if anything, made more relevant than ever the theoretical perspective that the book proposes. Moreover the political project of ‘radical and plural democracy’ that it advocates provides a much-needed antidote to the attempts to formulate a Third Way capable of overcoming the classical opposition between Left and Right.

Updated with a new preface, this is a fundamental text for understanding the workings of hegemony and grasping the nature of contemporary social struggles and their significance for democratic theory.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

“A brilliant tour de force of scholarship and argument.”—Marxism Today

About the Author

Ernesto Laclau is Professor of Political Theory in the Department of Government, University of Essex, and Distinguished Professor for Humanities and Rhetorical Studies at Northwestern University. He is the author of, amongst other works, Hegemony and Socialist Strategy (with Chantal Mouffe), New Reflections of the Revolution of Our Time, The Populist Reason, Contingency, Hegemony, Universality (with Judith Butler and Slavoj Zizek), and Emancipation(s).

Chantal Mouffe is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for the Study of Democracy at the University of Westminster. Her books include The Return of the Political; Hegemony and Socialist Strategy (with Ernesto Laclau); The Dimensions of Radical Democracy; Gramsci and Marxist Theory; Deconstruction and Pragmatism; The Democratic Paradox; and The Challenge of Carl Schmitt, all from Verso.

Series: Phronesis Series
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Verso; 2nd edition (June 2001)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1859843301
ISBN-13: 978-1859843307
Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.6 x 7.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 9 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,289,475 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2111 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > Ideologies & Doctrines > Democracy
- #2130 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > Ideologies & Doctrines > Communism & Socialism
- #3916 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Philosophy > Political

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Tough reading--but rewarding

January 1, 2007

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Laclau and Mouffe have developed a theory of hegemony, after Antonio Gramsci, that is more fluid and less determined by the ascendancy of one social or economic class; it is, in short, a postmodern reflection on Gramsci.

They begin by positing that there are countless groups within a society, each with a series of perspectives and views. Because of this plurality of groups, it is not possible to know which groups will coalesce into a bloc and be able, through their agreed upon ideas also coming together, to exercise hegemony. Different groups have many possible bloc allies. In the United States, there have been times when Jews and African-Americans have united and worked together, for example, with the Civil Rights Act of 1964; there have been other times when these groups have not been able to work together politically in an harmonious fashion, as with the anti-Jewish slogans of some members of the Nation of Islam (Louis Farrakhan, for instance).

What blocs form and produce a new hegemony depends upon a number of factors: the particular issues which become most salient and lead to groups "choosing up sides" on which position to take with respect to the emergent agenda, pre-existing interests and views characteristic of the group, and the extent to which segments of different groups' views can be articulated together in alliance with other groups to become a bloc.

To use the language of post-structuralism, each potential antagonism of one group with another is a "floating signifier,". . .a 'wild' antagonism which does not predetermine the form in which it can be articulated [linked up] to other elements in a social system." Furthermore, rapid change is possible in a current hegemony. The groups bound together as a bloc may find their articulation coming apart at the seams; latent antagonisms may come to the fore and lead to a rearticulation of interests into a new bloc. Thus, hegemonies are unstable for Laclau and Mouffe--whereas they tend to be much more stable from Gramsci's perspective. The end result is that dominant views can change swiftly, and the ideas that have led to one set of leaders may disintegrate, precipitating new leaders and new political agendas.

Most dramatically, consider the Soviet Union. Who can forget the rapid collapse of the old Bolshevik apparatus, after seventy years of hegemony. Seemingly, overnight the forces of openness put into motion by Mikhail Gorbachev tore apart the previous grand hegemony. However, there is plenty of potential for a new hegemony developing that will be much less supportive of democratic impulses. Witness events occurring in recent years under the presidency of Vladimir Putin.

This is a difficult work to plow through. Nonetheless, it is a fascinating book and worth the effort to make sense of it.

21 people found this helpful

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April 4, 2014

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I have to say the book caught me by surprize with the developing story. It builds quite concrete bases for the new neocapitalism we have everpresent these days. What I may consider as childllish approach (nes) gains some substance in the context described in this book. Interesting reading on the train while commuting to work in a 'corporate fabrik'.

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P. Cornett

Fascinating Text for Poststructuralists

March 2, 2014

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I am not a Marxist. That aside, I found this text to be a fascinating introduction to many Marxist writers, concepts, and historical perspectives.

Gramsci is heavily represented, as the concept of hegemony is used to ground the theoretical elements of Laclau and Mouffe's poststructuralist analysis.

Whether you hail from the left or the right, this book is worth a read.

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March 13, 2013

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

If you like philosophy, public sphere theory, and Marxism, then you should read this text. It is a challenging yet insightful read.

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A little help

August 7, 2010

Format: Paperback

For those struggling with the book, or thinking about reading it:

The authors assume a great deal of knowledge on the part of the reader. You will find this book very difficult if you do not have prior knowledge of Marx (certainly), as well as Gramsci and Lenin (who are both very useful for their own writings on figures that appear in this text e.g. Kautsky, Plekhanov, Bernstein). That will help you get through the first half of the book (Althusser also appears but they deal with him in a pretty easy manner). With the second half, knowledge of Saussure and Derrida is most useful, such as the role of signifiers and the concept of differance (if you're saying "what?" at this, then the second half of the book won't make much sense). Laclau and Mouffe are basically taking Derrida's understanding of the "missing center" filled in by discourse and applying it to Gramsci's understanding of hegemony.

So, at the least, you should be comfortable with Marx (Capital), and have reading Lenin (get the excellent Dover text of "What is to Be Done? And Other Essays") and Gramsci (Prison Notebooks). Then, get familiar with Saussure (perhaps not necessary to read his original text on linguistics, I haven't anyway) and Derrida (in particular the essay "Structure, Sign and Play", find it online).

Once you've done this, Laclau and Mouffe will make much more sense and be much more rewarding.

9 people found this helpful

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