Gramsci's "History of the Subaltern Classes": Ideologies and Structure

Gramsci
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course Name
Professor’ Name
Date
First Sentence: Ideology is identified as distinct from the structure, and it is asserted that it is not ideology that changes the structures but the vice versa
An ideology can be described as a set of opinions that are held by an individual or a group of people. In most cases, ideology refers to a set of beliefs that characterize a particular culture. It is worth noting that most ideologies are political in nature. Here is an example. Capitalism is an ideology. It describes a situation where the means for factors of production are owned by a few individuals. These individuals then employ skilled personnel and pay them wages or salaries for their labor. Communism is yet another ideology. It describes a political/ economic system where the means for factors of production are collectively owned. Here resources are shared equitably according to needs. Other examples of ideologies include Marxism and socialism.
Structure on the other hand refers to the organized set of institutionalized patterns of society. While it may not be easy to point out structure, it is always part and parcel of society and determines almost all facets of the human experience in a particular society. Every society has its structures. These determine the kind of social relationships that occur in that particular society. These structures provide key guidance on how to act for various members of society. Though the structures are not written, they are strong and binding to most members of the society. Based on these observations, it is true to conclude that ideolo...