Dominance

Dominance Definition

In Marxist theory, dominance refers to the “dominant element” within a social formation — whether ideology, politics, or the economy — as determined by the particular requirements of the economic base at a given point in time (Althusser, 1966).

Althusser’s Argument

Louis Althusser used the concept to draw attention to the internal complexity of social formations: although these are determined by the economy “in the final instance,” the element that dominates at any moment need not be the economic one. He contrasted this view with the “Hegelian” conception of the social “totality,” in which every part of society expresses a single underlying essence.