Hegemony

 

                                              (image: mds2016)

Gikan tagkamang!

Rene F. Antiga (2019) posited: Election is a game of thrones between the ruling elite of society. So, they cannot be expected to serve the interest of the oppressed and exploited sectors of society – the workers in the city and the peasants in the countryside. They only pay lip service to fool the people, but after being elected they say goodbye to all their promises.

“Under the circumstances, the poor masses of people who comprise the vast majority readily sell their votes to the highest bidder during elections, thinking that it is the only way to they can settle the score with traditional politicians. After all, whoever is elected will never serve their interest.” Antiga continued.

In the context of the Philippines, widespread poverty and disillusionment with the political system have fostered a culture where many among the poor majority see vote-selling as a practical, if cynical, form of justice. Faced with generations of unmet promises and systemic neglect, these voters often view election season as the only time politicians actively seek them out—and the only opportunity to extract any tangible benefit, however short-term.

But doesn’t this mindset risk to normalize a deeply flawed practice? When vote-selling becomes routine and even expected, it not only erodes the value of democratic participation but also reinforces a cycle of corruption that further marginalizes the poor. One must ask: will there ever come a time when individuals, especially those from vulnerable sectors, recognize the long-term cost of short-term gain and begin to assert their voices through more empowered, principled choices? Without a shift in mindset -both among the electorate and the political elite - traditional politicians may continue to view Filipinos as passive recipients of favors rather than as capable citizens with the power to demand real accountability.

Antonio Gramsci wrote in Prison Notebooks (1937) the concept of Cultural Hegemony which refers to the subtle and pervasive way dominant groups in society maintain power, not merely through force or coercion, but by shaping cultural norms, values, and beliefs to make their dominance appear natural and acceptable. Rather than ruling through overt oppression alone, the ruling class uses institutions like education, religion, media, and family to spread its worldview, which becomes accepted as the societal "common sense."

Recently, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported a troubling trend: most high school graduates are functionally illiterate. While many can technically read, they struggle to comprehend and critically engage with the material - an alarming indicator of the quality of education. This has led some, particularly those who are into conspiracy theories, to question whether the chronic underfunding and neglect of the education sector is merely accidental or part of a deeper, systemic issue.

From this perspective, it raises the unsettling possibility that keeping the populace undereducated serves the interests of those in power, making citizens more susceptible to manipulation and less likely to question the status quo. Such a scenario echoes Antonio Gramsci’s theory of cultural hegemony, where ruling elites maintain dominance not only through force but by controlling knowledge, shaping beliefs, and discouraging critical thought among the masses.

On the other side of the argument, one must also consider the unsettling possibility that it is the people themselves who, knowingly or unknowingly, adopt a kind of political masochism during elections, willing to trade their votes for short-term gains during the campaign period, fully aware that they will likely suffer under the same leaders once elected.

This mindset, shaped by years of systemic neglect and eroded trust in governance, reflects a survival strategy more than a democratic choice. It reveals a tragic normalization of political dysfunction, where voters expect little beyond temporary relief, and in doing so, perpetuate the very cycle of exploitation they resent.

Educating the mind and cultivating critical thinking are essential pillars for an empowered and progressive society.