Political Infiltration and Authoritarian Rule

In the realm of political theory, two influential figures stand out – Lenin and Gramsci – whose ideas have shaped the landscape of revolutionary thought. Lenin, the architect of the Soviet Union, and Gramsci, an Italian Marxist, each offered unique perspectives on how to overthrow the bourgeoisie and establish a socialist society.

Lenin believed that the workers would need to endure a long and challenging struggle to overcome their bourgeois habits and traditions. This struggle would not only be political but also cultural, aiming to attack the intellectual-moral foundations of bourgeois society. Lenin envisioned a thoroughgoing cultural revolution, leading to the building of a new collective consciousness.

However, Gramsci's contribution to Leninist theory is significant. He introduced the concept of cultural hegemony, which explains that the ruling capitalist class maintains power not only through economic and political dominance but by shaping societal beliefs and culture to secure the consent of the governed. Gramsci argued that revolutionary seizure of power in advanced capitalist societies like the United States requires a struggle to establish a counter-hegemony that can challenge the cultural and ideological dominance of capitalism.

Gramsci's theory emphasizes the importance of civil society – media, education, religion, culture – as a battlefield where ideological dominance is maintained or contested. He noted that capitalist ruling classes secure their power by gaining both coercive control and cultural consent, often using nationalism or despotism in times of crisis to suppress revolutionary movements.

Thus, for revolutionaries in advanced capitalist countries, the task is to build a "new political and cultural leadership" or "new prince," a party capable of mobilizing and educating societal sectors to overthrow hegemonic ideology and lay the groundwork for political power.

This perspective complements the classical Marxist base-superstructure model, highlighting that transformation of the economic base alone does not automatically lead to political revolution unless accompanied by a shift in the ideological superstructure – culture, ideas, and civil society institutions – that shape popular consciousness. Gramsci's insight addresses why economic crises do not inevitably trigger political revolution in countries like the U.S., where ruling classes successfully integrate the majority through cultural consent and institutional control.

In practical terms, Gramsci's contribution implies that revolutionary seizure of power in an advanced capitalist country like the United States requires a prolonged cultural and ideological struggle to build working-class consciousness and undermine the dominant ruling-class narratives embedded in civil society, before a political crisis can lead to a successful revolution. This approach shifts the focus from pure economic determinism to a more complex interplay of culture, politics, and economy in revolutionary strategy.

The system of cultural control in the United States works by propagating social and administrative consequences, enforced by managers, teachers, and colleagues. A similar process of "prophylactic" correction is happening, often through the acceptance of politically correct dogmas or programs. Those who oppose socialism are deemed "reactionary," and those who attempt to adopt independent thinking are labeled "immature."

The struggle to establish a socialist dictatorship, as described by Lenin, will involve slogans, stratagems, and the violent breakup of the old order. The dictatorship of the proletariat, according to Lenin, is a ruthless war against the bourgeoisie. This war cannot arise peacefully but requires the smashing of the bourgeois state machine, army, bureaucratic apparatus, and police.

The advent of a socialist dictatorship may lead to the destruction of America's nuclear deterrent and the assurance of Chinese world dominance. The cultural revolution in America is preparing the way for a more violent kind of uprising. The expropriation of small business owners is considered a crucial challenge in establishing a socialist society.

In the United States, individuals may face consequences in their employment, career, or education if they express views that contradict politically correct norms. The dictatorship of the proletariat, as a new form of government, is based on the use of force against the bourgeoisie, according to Stalin.

Antonio Gramsci's approach offers an amendment to Lenin's revolutionary theory, proposing cultural changes that will facilitate the revolutionary seizure of power in an advanced capitalist country like the United States. His insights provide a roadmap for revolutionaries seeking to challenge the status quo and establish a socialist society.

In advanced capitalist countries like the United States, the ruling class maintains power not just through economic and political dominance, but also by shaping societal beliefs and culture to secure the consent of the governed, a concept introduced by Antonio Gramsci known as cultural hegemony.
Similar to Lenin's vision of a cultural revolution, the cultural revolution in America is preparing the way for a more violent kind of uprising, involving the smashing of the bourgeois state machine, army, bureaucratic apparatus, and police.
In the United States, individuals may face consequences in their employment, career, or education if they express views that contradict politically correct norms, evoking a system of cultural control reminiscent of prophylactic correction.
Antonio Gramsci's approach offers an amendment to Lenin's revolutionary theory, proposing cultural changes that will facilitate the revolutionary seizure of power in an advanced capitalist country like the United States, providing a roadmap for revolutionaries seeking to challenge the status quo and establish a socialist society.
The advent of a socialist dictatorship, as described by Lenin, may lead to the destruction of America's nuclear deterrent and the assurance of Chinese world dominance, given the potential vulnerability of the military in the face of such revolutionary change.