Purchase Solution

Antonio Gramsci's Political Theories on Capitalism & Democracy

Not what you're looking for?

Ask Custom Question

According to Gramsci the free market/civil society do not maximize human freedom, they constrain it. Explain Gramsci's critique of the free market and civil society.

Purchase this Solution
Solution Summary

Gramsci, an Italian thinker in the Marxist tradition proposed that free market constrains human freedom. This solution explores his ideas.

Solution Preview

There is significant debate in regards to the role of the free market in civil society. On the one hand (for example) Wanderly-Reis (1986) minimizes the "supposed incompatibility" of civil society and the free market by emphasizing the "socially democratizing character of capitalism."

The modern definition of the term 'civil society' (which typically includes a range of relationships and institutions, including, trade unions, voluntary associations, churches and sometimes the free market) usually ignores or mis-uses Gramsci's understanding of the term.

What Gramsci recognized - and what makes his understanding compelling - is that the 'free' market is not a freely formed association like any other: participation is mandatory on the terms required by the system. Thus, use of 'civil society' that equates the term with the free market (or freedom in the marketplace) is misleading because it fails to account for the ...

Purchase this Solution
Free BrainMass Quizzes
Canadian Politics

A brief look into various aspects of Canadian Politics.

View More Free Quizzes
Related BrainMass Solutions

  • The Relationship between capitalism and Liberal democracy

    When a system is based on the private ownership and exchange of capital, it is called capitalism. So how do we reconcile the relationship of liberal democracy to capitalism?

  • Frequently Used Political Terms Defined

    Unicameral Capitalism Communism Democracy Direct Democracy Fascism Laissez-Fair Liberal Democracy Liberalism (modern) Liberalism (classic) Libertarianism Oligarchy Plutocracy Populist Democracy Representative Democracy Socialism Theocracy

  • Democratic Socialism

    Cons Because of the continued debate on what democratic socialism really is, it is a term 'under erasure' - it can refer to so many political theories and form of government that are at times at odds with each other.

  • Digital Politics

    He says on page 10: "If [technology] is to serve democracy, the technology will have to be effectively programmed to do so, and that program will have to be sensitive to the distinctive political theories and paradigms of democracy that inform political

  • economic power so as to gain social and political power

    From such sociological theories such as Marxism that brings into light capitalism, then it is evident when economic power is taken advantage of so as to acquire both social and political power.

  • Trends in international political systems

    328958 What are the trends in international political systems? Political ideology has an effect on international business and trade.

  • Paraphrase this Paragraph on American Democracy and Capitalism

    The expert paraphrases a paragraph on American Democracy and Capitalism.

  • Political and economic freedom

    190864 Why is democracy associated with capitalism? 1. Why is democracy associated with capitalism?

  • Paraphrase American Democracy

    The philosophies on which capitalism and democracy are based are closely linked. Both are based on the individual's rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The solution paraphrases a paragraph on American Democracy

View More Related Solutions