A composition for forming a resist underlayer film for lithography, the resist underlayer film for lithography containing silicon and being dissolved and removed with an alkaline developer in accordance with a resist pattern together with an upper layer resist during development of the upper layer resist, the composition comprising a component, which is a silane compound containing a hydrolyzable silane, a hydrolysate of the silane, a hydrolytic condensate of the silane, or any combination of these, and an element, which is an element of causing dissolution in an alkaline developer. The element, which is an element of causing dissolution in an alkaline developer, is contained in the structure of the compound as the component. The element, which is an element of causing dissolution in an alkaline developer, is a photoacid generator.