Describe political sociology.

Gramsci’s influence is far reaching (he has had impact in sociology, political science, anthropology, cultural studies, etc). He is the most sociological of all the Marxist and focuses extensively on the role of Civil Society — those organizations and institutions that exist between state and economy. It is in Civil Society that Hegemony is organized. Hegemony, for Gramsci, is the balance between Force and Consent — where Consent usually prevails over Force, simultaneously the ruling class presents its interests as the interests of all and grants material concessions to subordinate classes. Whereas Lenin is interested in smashing the State, Gramsci recognizes that this is an impossibility in advanced capitalist democracies because of Civil Society (which often comes to defense of the State — and vice-versa). Gramsci asks that we rethink the meaning of revolution and transformative politics. Instead of a War of Movement (smash the State) he advocates for a War of Position (conquer the institutions of civil society and reform capitalism from within). The War of Position is dependent on the balance of class forces in a given society. For Gramsci, class development has three levels: Economic Corporate, Economic Class, Political Hegemonic (a political party that forges a counter ideology and presents its interests as the interests of all). please read all of the articles by Gramsci provided for you and relate his articles to the articles i provided. Answer all the questions below in essay form.