Reading Assignment – Engler & Engler

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Jun 9, 2024

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Critical Reading Exercise – Engler & Engler As with all weekly reading exercises, always answer all the questions in your own words, write at least 6-10 sentences per answer, provide page numbers to show where the information came from (1-2 per answer), and if you absolutely must use a direct quote, you must put it in quotation marks (and of course provide the page number). Quotes still need to be explained and don’t count towards your overall number of sentences. See the rubric attached to the dropbox to see how your answers are being scored. When uploading your answers to the dropbox, make sure you only use MS Word (not pages), PDF, or RTF documents (and always make sure the document you uploaded is the one you wanted to submit. For this week’s exercise, answer the following questions (add space where needed but keep the questions in place and don’t change the font color): 1. Why is it important to consider the influence of Gramsci on social movements, even for those “who do not personally identify with the socialist tradition” (p. 2 in iCollege PDF)? It is important to consider the influence of socialist tradition due to the importance of changing social structures and economic status (p.2). Engler and Engler provide examples of how socialist movements allowed for radical change in countries such as Brazil and Spain (p.2). These socialist strategies led to improvements in the education system in Brazil and the pursuit of redistribution in Spain (p.2). Regardless of those who disagree with socialist pursuits, key strategies and takeaways from the ideology have created positive levels of change (p.2). Gramsci’s influence has allowed for the reexamination of previously disputed socialist beliefs and has provided clarity for those who wish to adopt them (p.2). These instances and explanations are why it’s important to consider Gramsci’s unique take on socialist perspectives (p.2). 2. How did Gramsci’s thinking on revolutionary change differ from that of the “scientific socialists” (p. 3) of his time, especially his youth? Gramsci’s thinking on revolutionary change differed due to his belief that strict organization and sheer human will would prevail over inevitable determinism (p.3). The socialists of Gramsci’s youth believed that capitalism would eventually cause economic fallouts in which the lower class would be able to rise against the upper class (p.3). However, Gramski didn’t agree with this belief and considered it to be harmful to the socialist movement as a whole (p.3). Gramsci considered this to be a poor approach to making change and explained that this view resulted in poor planning in the socialist movement (p.3). He argued that the movements shouldn’t rely on crises within the capitalist economy to move forward in their revolutions but through strategic planning and commitment (p.3). Gramsci acknowledged the crises of capitalism as being important, but that they were not the only method of change (p.3).

3. What does it mean to say that “[m]ovements must study the current ‘relation of forces’ (p. 4)”? It means that in order to create lasting change within the socialist movements, they must first analyze the events that they want to act on (p.4). Gramsci explains that some changes are longer lasting and reflect a significant change in the ideologies surrounding them (p.4). These changes provide a better foundation for movements to develop on as they are not likely to fluctuate by political changes or even public opinion (p.4). Gramsci also explains that shorter-term changes can be accidental or not worthwhile, and can be uplifted by changes in political structure or public opinion (p.4). These shorter-term changes cannot have movements based upon them as they are not likely to be successful or enduring (p.4). This is why Gramsci emphasizes the importance of changes in world events and whether they are influential enough to create lasting change (p.4). 7 4. What is Gramsci’s view on the theory-practice relationship? Gramsci’s view on the theory-practice relationship is that they must be differentiated by their equal and yet different levels of importance (p.4). Gramsci explains that while one theory turned practice might apply to one state, it is not guaranteed that it will work in another (p.7). Gramsci emphasizes the importance of understanding a country’s current events before turning their theories into practical movements (p.4). Without a key understanding of the forces of political and social dynamics, theories cannot be properly applied to the current events surrounding the basis of the movement (p.5). This is why he explains the importance of short term and long term social changes and when to base movements off of them (p.5). Without these analyzations, real and lasting socialist changes can not be applied to society (p.6). 5. What function does civil society play in protecting “ruling groups from being easily overthrown” (p. 6)? Civil society plays a highly influential role in protecting the dominant groups from being replaced and uprooted from their positions of power (p.6). Gramsci explains that the distribution of the justification of the ruling group’s power is how they remain in power (p.6). By creating the narrative that their rule is just and important, and through passing this message down over time, the lower groups become complacent in the “order” of society (p.6). When members of those groups attempt to overthrow the ruling classes, resistance is inevitable as civil society has been conditioned to accept the way things are (p.5). A great example of this is how Kings in France and Europe justified their positions in power by the will of god, seemingly sustaining the lower classes in their roles in society. Gramsci emphasizes the importance of acknowledging civil

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