The Dialectics of the Hegemonic Drive

Abstract

The concept of hegemony is central to the notion of power. It illuminates the nature of the link between economic and political power, between culture, social formation and political institutions, between individuals and corporate bodies. It helps the understanding of the dynamics between state and civil society, between élites and counter-élites, between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’. Most importantly, it makes it possible to take a long-term view of the movement of politics in Africa. For if the post-colonial state’s hegemonic drive is the most consistently conspicuous characteristic of contemporary African politics, its understanding can only derive from a prior analysis of the meanings and practices of hegemony over time.¹