Gramsci Und Die Politik Des Kulturellen.pdf

A Summary

Wolfgang Fritz Haug's "Gramsci and the Politics of the Cultural" begins by noting the lack of public acknowledgment of Antonio Gramsci's 50th death anniversary in Germany, with the exception of a left-alternative daily newspaper that praised Gramsci as an "Italian national philosopher" driven by a "hunger for enlightened religion." The newspaper suggested reading Gramsci instead of merely citing him, but a reviewer in Prokla found it challenging to find a competent author to write a tribute to Gramsci. Despite this, Gramsci's ideas remain relevant as they combat sectarianism in Marxism and the loss of utopian thinking in social democracy and mere activism.

Haug criticizes the suggestion to start with Benedetto Croce instead of Gramsci, arguing that it represents a retreat from Gramsci's innovative ideas. He also mentions the lack of a comprehensive and reliable German translation of Gramsci's works, noting that historical figures like Gramsci must be translated into contemporary contexts. Haug argues that Marxists need a hermeneutics to understand Gramsci's relevance today, as the truth has not fully materialized, and they seek memories of an incomplete future in past debates.

Haug warns against the current trend of abandoning the future in favor of markets and the power of the ruling classes, leading to cultural hegemony of capital. He calls for a new reading of Gramsci and a discussion on first and second-degree translations.