By OBBM Network Editorial Staff

Derived from an episode of Promethean Updates.

The rise of socialist candidates in New York’s congressional primaries has sparked a flurry of debate about the future of American politics. At the heart of this movement lies the intellectual legacy of Antonio Gramsci, an Italian communist whose ideas have been resurrected by both the Democratic Socialists of America and the Council on Foreign Relations. Gramsci’s concept of cultural Marxism, which emphasizes the need to attack Western civilization from within, has become a rallying cry for many on the left. But what are the implications of this ideology, and how is it being used to shape the country’s trajectory?

The Gramsci Connection

Gramsci’s influence on modern socialist thought cannot be overstated. His idea that revolutions fail when they seize political power but leave the culture intact has become a guiding principle for many on the left. The Democratic Socialists of America, in particular, have incorporated Gramsci’s ideas into their educational program, emphasizing the need to challenge dominant cultural narratives and create a new, socialist culture. As journalist Matt Taibbi has noted, this approach has been highly effective in recruiting young, media-savvy professionals to the cause.

However, Gramsci’s ideas are not limited to the socialist left. The Council on Foreign Relations, a think tank closely tied to the American establishment, has also been exploring Gramsci’s concepts in the context of a post-Trump world. In a recent essay, CFR Senior Fellow Charles Kupchan cited Gramsci’s famous line about the old order dying and the new unable to be born, using it to describe the current state of American politics. But what does this mean for the future of American foreign policy, and how will the CFR’s embrace of Gramsci’s ideas shape the country’s relationships with the rest of the world?

The British Connection

Gramsci’s ideas have a long history of being promoted by British elites, who have used them to further their own interests. As author Richard Poe has documented, the British imperial network has a long tradition of hosting and funding radical intellectual movements, using them to launch color revolutions against rival powers. Karl Marx, for example, was funded by British industrialists and aristocrats, who saw his ideas as a useful tool for undermining the Russian Empire. Today, the same dynamic is at play, with British elites using Gramsci’s ideas to shape the narrative around a post-Trump world.

Conclusion

The rise of socialist candidates in New York’s congressional primaries is just one symptom of a larger shift in American politics. As the country grapples with the implications of Gramsci’s ideas, it is clear that the future of American politics will be shaped by a complex interplay of forces, both domestic and foreign. The Council on Foreign Relations’ embrace of Gramsci’s concepts is just one example of how establishment elites are seeking to shape the narrative around a post-Trump world. But what does this mean for the average American, and how will these ideologies shape the country’s trajectory in the years to come? The full episode of Promethean Updates is available on OBBM Network TV.