Struggle for Hegemony in India is a three-volume series that delineates the multidimensional activities of the Indian communists. It explores the role of the communist movement within the democratic polity of India. The series addresses the changing relationship of the communists with the Indian National Congress, their emergence as an opposition party, the details of the formation of Left Front governments in state politics, and their experience with insurrectionary movements in the country.



Deploying Gramsci’s concept of hegemony, the series comments on the failure of the left-wing to establish itself as a hegemonic force in India. The interpretation of the concept in terms of power between different ‘classes’ and ‘communities’ is groundbreaking; it not only enlarges the meaning of ‘hegemony’ but also makes it the basis of a new historiography.



This revised edition covers an extensive period from 1920 to 2009, tracing the communist movement from its earliest years in India to contemporary times. The authors, both grounded in Marxist literature, are able to expertly analyze the various contours of the communist movement in South Asia within the context of the struggle for power and hegemony.