Cultural hegemony, a concept developed by Antonio Gramsci, refers to the dominance of a culturally diverse society by the ruling class, who manipulate the culture of that society—the beliefs, explanations, perceptions, and values—so that their imposed worldview becomes the accepted cultural norm. This domination is achieved not through force, but by the consensual acceptance of the subordinate classes, who internalize the values and norms of the ruling class as their own, thus maintaining the status quo.