Apr 29, 2025

Antonio Gramsci: Now is the time of monsters

Gramsci was referring to the birth of communism in his famous quote, but it seems to apply perfectly to current events. In the U.S., the Trump administration is tearing down the old system of multilateralism and free trade, yet has struggled and backtracked on imposing a new economic nationalist replacement.

"The old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born: now is the time of monsters."

– Antonio Gramsci

Who Was Antonio Gramsci?

Antonio Gramsci was a Marxist philosopher and journalist born into poverty in Sardinia. He never owned a business, held wealth, or accumulated assets. Mussolini jailed him in 1926, and he spent over a decade in prison. There, he wrote the Prison Notebooks that would define his legacy, and there he died.

For investors, this quote from Gramsci suggests a period of volatility in which there may be very few havens from risk.

Gramsci’s central idea was that power isn’t held by force alone but by shaping what people see as normal. He argued that cultural institutions like schools, media, and churches create “hegemony,” or widespread consent for the ruling class’s values.

To change society, revolutionaries must wage a long “war of position” inside these institutions, gradually shifting norms and ideas until real political change is possible. His work reframed Marxism, putting culture and ideology at the heart of social control.

Today, many on the American right treat Gramsci as a blueprint—not for socialism, but for reclaiming culture. They argue that leftists used his strategy to dominate education, media, and public discourse, and claim to be attempting a counter-hegemonic push to do the same from the right.

The Wall Street Journal has called Gramsci "MAGA's favorite Communist." He lived from 1891 to 1937.

Learn More:

Gramsci's two books are Prison Notebooks and Letters from Prison. In English, Notebooks is available in a Kindle edition, while Letters is only available in print.

Disclaimer: This newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Please consult a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.