Gramsci's democratic theory : contributions to a post-liberal democracy / Sue Golding.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

An in-depth study of Antonio Gramsci's prison notebooks (Quaderni del carcere) and his specific contributions to radical democratic theory.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

Golding's central thesis is that Gramsci's post-liberal democracy leads to a program of radical openness, diversity, and contingently formed consent. These aims are in line with many writings on postmodernity and politics. However, rather than concentrating on either Gramsci's writings or connections to the postmodern discourse, Golding focuses on the role that the philosophies of Hegel and Croce played in Gramsci's thought. In line with this trajectory, she covers the concept of the will, dialectic, science, and the base/superstructure dilemma. When all is said and done, Golding has failed to explain what either she or Gramsci mean by post-liberal democracy, or how one can conceptualize "the will of the people" in these confusing times. The philosophical material that she tackles is inherently difficult, but her treatment does not help to clarify it. There exist other, much more readable recent books on Gramsci, among them: Darrow Schecte's Gramsci and the Theory of Industrial Democracy (1991), Dante L. Germino's Antonio Gramsci: Architect of a New Politics (CH, Mar'91), and Robert S. Dombroski's Antonio Gramsci (CH, Sep'89). Adequate references and index. Faculty. S. G. Mestrovic; Texas A & M University