Hegemony
The dominance of one group or state over others — not just through force, but through cultural, economic, or political influence that becomes accepted as normal.
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Origin
From Greek hēgemonía (dominance over), originally describing relations between city-states in Ancient Greece (ca. 8th BC–6th century AD). Italian Marxist philosopher Antonio Gramsci transformed the concept in the 1930s through his Prison Notebooks, theorizing cultural hegemony—how dominant classes maintain control through intellectual and moral leadership rather than coercion alone. Gramsci's insight revealed how elite worldviews permeate institutions (religion, education, media), making them appear as common sense to all classes.
Updated February 22, 2026