Alternative Radio - Episode June 13, 2026

Taimur Rahman – Antonio Gramsci: The Imprisoned Philosopher Antonio Gramsci of Italy was one of the most important and original political and philosophical figures of the 20th century. He was a staunch antifascist and was jailed for years in Mussolini’s prisons. He wrote with great insight about class, culture, and the state. He said that once the state establishes ideological authority, its use of violence can become unnecessary. Gramsci was critical of intellectuals who play a major role in manufacturing consent for the policies of the hegemon, the leader. He developed such key concepts as cultural hegemony, organic intellectuals, and war of position. He warned of “morbid symptoms” afflicting so-called liberal democratic societies. Today, almost a century after his death, Antonio Gramsci continues to inspire and inform progressive activists. Speaker: Taimur Rahman Taimur Rahman is one of Pakistan’s leading intellectuals. He is a professor at the Lahore University of Management Sciences. He is the author of The Class Structure of Pakistan. He is the Secretary General of the Mazdoor Kisan Party (Workers and Peasants Party). Along with his political and teaching activities, he is the lead guitarist of the Pakistani music band Laal. Description from www.alternativeradio.org