Gramsci and Contemporary Politics

GRAMSCI AND CONTEMPORARY POLITICS Beyond pessimism of the intellect Can politics be both radical and realistic? This book is a collection of Anne Showstack Sassoon’s writing which spans the major transitions from Thatcher and Reagan to Clinton and Blair; the collapse of communism to the regenera- tion of social democracy. Looking at the role of intellectuals in ‘rethinking’ politics, she argues that drawing from the past and broadening contemporary sources of political and academic knowledge can contribute to a grounded, radical hegemonic politics which can shape change. Applying original interpretations of Antonio Gramsci’s ideas on intellectuals, political language, civil society and political leadership, Anne Showstack Sas- soon goes well beyond his framework to examine key contemporary political issues including citizenship, modernising the welfare state, and the relationship between parents and teachers. Informed by feminist debates, and reflecting on women’s changing socio-economic roles, she argues that, particularly in periods of rapid change, the inconsistencies and contradictions of social change can pro- duce valuable theoretical, and practical, insights. Engaging with the radical claims of centre-left politics, this book brings together theoretical discussion with empirical and personal examples to suggest how to negotiate the difficult line between wishful thinking and weary fatalism in order to create the basis for widespread consent for political and social reforms. Gramsci and Contemporary Politics: Beyond Pessimism of the Intel- lect is aimed at students of politics, political and social theory, gender studies, and sociology. Anne Showstack Sassoon’s publications include Gramsci’s Politics, and Women and the State: The Shifting Boundaries of Public and Private. She is Professor of Politics at Kingston University, UK. ROUTLEDGE INNOVATIONS IN POLITICAL THEORY 1 A RADICAL GREEN POLITICAL THEORY Alan Carter 2 RATIONAL WOMAN A feminist critique of dualism Raia Prokhovnik 3 RETHINKING STATE THEORY Mark J.Smith 4 GRAMSCI AND CONTEMPORARY POLITICS Beyond pessimism of the intellect Anne Showstack Sassoon GRAMSCI AND CONTEMPORARY POLITICS Beyond pessimism of the intellect Anne Showstack Sassoon London and New York First published 2000 by Routledge 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2004. © 2000 Anne Showstack Sassoon All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Sassoon, Anne Showstack Gramsci and contemporary politics: beyond pessimism of the intellect/Anne Showstack Sassoon. p. cm.—(Routledge innovations in political theory: 4) Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index. 1. Gramsci, Antonio, 1891–1937—Contributions in political science. 2. Political science—History—20th century. I. Title. II. Series. JC265.G68S26 1999 320.53'2'092 –dc21 99–37055 CIP ISBN 0-203-20888-9 Master e-book ISBN ISBN 0-203-20900-1 (Adobe eReader Format) ISBN 0-415-16214-9 (Print Edition) FOR MY FATHER, NATHANIEL SHOWSTACK MD, FOR HIS SENSE OF WONDER. To see a World in a Grain of Sand, And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand, And Eternity in an hour. From: ‘Auguries of Innocence’ William Blake (1757–1827) This page intentionally left blank. CONTENTS 1Facing the future, evaluating the past 1 PART 1 Theoretical foundations 13 2The challenge to traditional intellectuals: specialisation, organisation, leadership 15 3The politics of the organic intellectuals: passion, understanding, knowledge 27 4Gramsci’s subversion of the language of politics42 PART 2 Political interventions 51 5Equality and difference: the emergence of a new concept of citizenship53 6Back to the future: the resurrection of civil society66 7Beyond pessimism of the intellect: agendas for social justice and change77 8From realism to creativity: Gramsci, Blair and us93 PART 3 Reflections and explorations 105 9Rethinking socialism: new processes, new insights107 10Dear parent…118 11Subjective authenticity, cultural specificity, individual and collective projects 124 Notes 136 Index 164 This page intentionally left blank. 1 FACING THE FUTURE, EVALUATING THE PAST A collection of essays provides the occasion to revisit an intellectual and personal itinerary. Changes in political, social and economic contexts, and implic- itly or explicitly the author’s own growth and development, all come into play. These pieces were written during major transitions spanning the Thatcher and Reagan governments, the collapse of communist regimes in Central and Eastern Europe, attempts to regenerate social democracy, and the election of centre-left governments throughout Western Europe and in North America. They reflect my continuing interest in the work of the Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci (1891–1937), in women’s changing socio-economic roles, and in projects to refashion left politics to take account of major socio-economic change, and are accompanied by a desire to demystify academic practices. Theoretical discussion is joined to political and personal reflection. The majority of the essays have been substantially revised for this book. All are explorations of themes of continuing contemporary relevance. They do not pretend to be definitive. They are often tentative and suggestive. The intention is to open up discussion rather than close it down. THEMES AND CONJECTURES As political and intellectual signposts change so dramatically, a rush to judg- ment is to be resisted. The dynamic of the tennis match of many academic and political debates, which simply bounce arguments back and forth, can detract from the need to confront significant questions. Above all, polarised positions often mean that the inconsistent and contradictory nature of social development is either considered a problem to be eliminated or becomes a rationale for abstaining from engagement. It is striking how rare it is to find work which draws out what could be useful from what appear to be otherwise contradictory positions, or, indeed, which makes an analysis that searches for the contradictions and inconsistencies in social development in order to learn from them. The definition of being analytical and critical is too often reduced to describing the 1 2 GRAMSCI AND CONTEMPORARY POLITICS negative aspects of reality and the limits of social thought and political practice, rather than trying constructively to draw on what is potentially positive and useful. At the same time, social analysts have the right to ‘de-construct’ earlier tra- ditions of ideas as they seek answers to today’s questions without endorsing them in their entirety or reducing their importance to their contemporary relevance.1 Participating in an open-ended process implies recognising a continuous need to change and to grow. Such a need is too rarely acknowledged. The absence from most academic or political debate of explicit self-interrogation is not sur- prising given the vulnerability which this can expose. The strange pretence that we—authors, readers, collective agents—have always been what we are now provides a defensive shield. In order to be convincing and authoritative, it is assumed that intellectual and political argument, whatever the content and whatever the gender or provenance of the author, must don the cloak of infallibility. By convention academic and political legitimacy and authority are rooted in certainty, which is required both of those in leading roles, and, it is expected, of those who accept such leadership. All too often a parent-child relationship is constructed in which little if any change and development is expected on the part of either. Reflective modes of intellectual and political conduct run the risk, of course, of self-indulgent narcissism which is neither interesting nor productive. Nonetheless both political processes and intellectual engagement have much to gain from thoughtful reflection, even if the manner in which academic careers or political power and influence are achieved hardly encourages it. Tracing personal trajectories can offer an additional, even if small, contribution to produc- ing some of the questions which can inform wider discussions. Individual biographies are not representative or even pre-figurative of wider truths, but they can provide insights into more general phenomena. And in a book which weaves together a variety of themes, discussion of the different influences on the writer may help to guide the reader. Gramsci’s ideas, feminist debates, empirical work on women’s changing socio-economic roles, discussion about the futures of welfare states, and reflection on professional practice and personal experience all inform these essays. The topics covered range from Gramsci’s ideas on the intellectuals and his use of language, to citizenship and the concept of civil society, contemporary left politics, the relationship between parents and teachers, and ways of working in the social sciences. The

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