The Context of Hegemonic Competition

Abstract

This chapter examines the ‘context of hegemonic competition,’ in which the need to secure advantage in rhetorical competitions may further influence a political actor’s choice of argumentative strategy. In the first section, I briefly define the key concepts of the discourse theory of Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe and, in so doing, highlight the similarities between this approach and Freeden’s account of ideological morphology. Next, I examine the notions of an ‘organic crisis,’ which provides the backdrop for the dynamics of hegemonic competition, and ‘wars of position.’ In the following section, I consider the idea of a ‘social imaginary’ and explore the process by which it becomes institutionalized. The discussion in these sections is illustrated with examples from contemporary politics, which serve to demonstrate the practical relevance of hegemony theory. Finally, I explore the appeal of moral principles and arguments, and show that they are a key weapon in the struggle for hegemonic advantage.