Antonio Gramsci: Post-Election Strategy for Organic Intellectuals

1. Election Post-Mortem and Pre-Natality

What we have witnessed in this recent election is a disturbing yet predictable spectacle, one that reflects the deepest failures of our society to cultivate a collective will, to forge a moral and political consciousness worthy of its democratic ideals. The allure of authoritarianism, which draws those who feel dispossessed or cast aside by the modern state, is a symptom of our crisis, a sign that the bonds which should unite us in shared responsibility and solidarity have been weakened, corroded by years of ideological manipulation.

This election has laid bare the conditions of the subaltern — the marginalized masses whose aspirations are controlled and contained, made passive and resigned. They are taught by every mechanism of cultural power to fear change, to shun difference, and to accept as natural the influence the ruling class, those who control the culture, who own the means of communication and have engineered a society where it is easier to find refuge in obedience than to muster the courage to act as free beings.

The authoritarian shift among these voters is a product of hegemony, that subtle and pervasive power which works through cultural institutions to shape and direct our worldviews. It is hegemony that normalizes the submission of the many to the interests of the few, that imbues the authoritarian with a mystique of protection and security while stripping the citizen of the tools for true engagement and action. This is not a matter of individual choice; it is a condition produced by decades of disempowerment and the calculated spread of pessimism, a pessimism that saps the strength and confidence of the people, leaving them vulnerable to voices that promises stability — even at the cost of freedom.

What is to be done? We must first focus on the clear declaration of war of position by the chief hegemonic ideologist in which he called very for the “ruthless” establishment of a new “ruling class” in the spaces of cultural life that might otherwise serve as sites of democratic resistance and transformation. This is a struggle that will not be won through rhetoric alone but through the painstaking work of educating, organizing, and mobilizing a counter-hegemony, a new culture grounded in the realities of thinkers, workers, women, minorities, and all those who are today the objects rather than the subjects of power. They must come to see that their interests cannot be served by those who seek to dominate and divide, but only by those who would unify, uplift, and educate.

The task before us, then, is immense. It requires that we build not only political movements but an entire new class of organic intellectuals — those leaders, thinkers, and activists who rise from within the middle class and the marginalized, who speak not to, but with the people. These leaders will not patronize or placate; they will educate, organize, and inspire. They will assist in the cultivation and recognition of the strength and resilience needed to resist the authoritarian lure, to reject the false comfort of authoritarian “protection,” and to see themselves as agents, as active participants in a shared political destiny.

We have allowed the takeover of primary cultural apparatuses such as Twitter, Fox News and think tanks by those who serve the ruling class, and we are now reaping the bitter harvest of that passivity. If we do not act, if we do not confront this hegemony with a determined and organized response, the authoritarian trend will deepen, the grip of fear and resignation will tighten, and the spirit of democracy will grow ever weaker, dimmed by its own neglect.

Therefore, let us not underestimate the intelligence of the American people but rather speak to it, nurture it, and help it speak. Organic intellectuals are less likely to be “lifting up” the people from a remote center of power, unintentionally perhaps reifying a hierarchy that may stifle agency, but are more likely to be moving forward with the people. The widespread perception of a patronizing hand that holds down by lifting up can be countered by intellectuals who are in my sense organic.

The true revolutionary act in our time is not simply to take power, but to transform the very foundations of culture and consciousness, to create the conditions in which each citizen is a thinker, an agent, and a free participant in the ongoing work of democracy. This is a task for generations, but it is the only path that leads forward.

2. Insights from the Exit Polls

The 2024 national exit polls reveal the clear divides that shaped this election outcome. For one who seeks to serve as an organic intellectual — an educator, connector, and mobilizer within communities — these exit polls provide crucial insights into the challenges and necessary strategies for fostering true democratic engagement.

1. Disillusionment and Distrust Among Marginalized Groups: Large segments of voters, particularly white and Hispanic populations, gravitated toward the authoritarian appeals of the winning candidates, driven by economic anxiety, fear, and the promise of stability. This reflects a common escape from freedom: individuals felt trapped by their circumstances, feeling more comfortable surrendering to the promises of a strong leader than embracing the complexities and responsibilities of democratic agency. The organic intellectual must recognize this impulse not as ignorance but as a learned response to conditions of alienation and instability. Through patient work within these communities, organic intellectuals must strive to reconnect people to a sense of collective power and agency, counteracting the instinct to place trust in demagogues by instead nurturing trust in each other.
2. Youth Voter Shift Toward Authoritarianism: Notably, a significant portion of young voters supported Trump, diverging from historical trends where youth generally leaned toward progressive platforms. This trend highlights a deepening disconnect, where younger generations, increasingly burdened by economic precarity and institutional failures, are becoming susceptible to narratives of force and “law and order” as answers to their frustrations. For the organic intellectual, this points to a need to engage the youth not merely as “future voters” but as active, capable citizens now. They must be equipped with the critical skills to recognize and resist manipulative narratives and understand their own power in shaping a society that values their future.
3. Underestimation of Authoritarian Appeals: The polls reveal that mainstream leaders underestimated the depth of disillusionment and the appeal of authoritarian promises, allowing messages of resentment and division to resonate powerfully. Harris’s messaging, though well-intentioned, failed to reach those who felt abandoned by the state and traditional political structures. An organic intellectual must work to bridge this divide, crafting an approach that respects the people’s intelligence without oversimplifying the issues. This involves not just conveying information but building structures that facilitate shared understanding and action, thus countering the allure of authoritarian rhetoric with clear, realistic pathways for empowerment.
4. Rising Nationalism and Cultural Division: The increased popularity of nationalist and exclusionary narratives signals a deepening cultural division. Organic intellectuals must counter this by fostering a broader, more inclusive national narrative that unites communities across differences. This involves amplifying the voices of diverse groups and cultivating cultural pride that resists scapegoating and fear.
5. Educational and Economic Divides: Wealthier, more educated groups, not including aspiring oligarchs, leaned toward Harris, while lower-income groups, feeling economically sidelined, aligned with Trump’s promises of protectionism. This highlights the role of economic security in shaping political orientation, where those who feel materially secure tend to support democratic ideals, while those in precarious positions may support authoritarian measures as a means of protection. The organic intellectual’s role here is to promote economic literacy and solidarity, helping individuals see how their economic struggles are interconnected with broader, addressable structural injustices, thus empowering them to pursue systemic change rather than retreat into authoritarianism as a shield.

In sum, the organic intellectual must approach the current social landscape with sensitivity to these divides and with strategies for deep, grassroots engagement. This requires fostering democratic consciousness not just through rhetoric but through sustained actions that bridge divides, empower the disenfranchised, and counter authoritarian narratives with a renewed, inclusive vision of collective power.

3. From the Concession Speech to the Core Concerns

Kamala Harris’s concession speech, while gracious, lacks a critical examination of the systemic issues that contributed to her campaign’s failure and the broader dissatisfaction among segments of the electorate. It was, after all, just a concession speech, but by focusing on what it did not address we can clarify our agenda going forward. Harris’s speech emphasized unity, respect for democracy, and a commitment to “continue fighting for the American people,” but did not confront deeper structural concerns.

1. Address Inflation

The economic anxieties driving middle class disillusionment have been successfully misdiagnosed by Trump/Vance as effects of immigration. The Biden Administration has been unwilling to shoulder any responsibility for inflation. More in-depth and transparent discussions of economic issues will result in more substantial policy commitments that prioritize the middle class and realism about the impact of regressive taxes like Trump’s tariffs.

2. Challenge the Influence of Corporations and Oligarchs

A powerful addition would be a critique of the role that corporate interests and wealthy donors play in shaping policy agendas. Many voters rightly perceive both major parties as being influenced by powerful interests that undermine democracy. Acknowledging this and calling for reforms to reduce corporate and oligarchic influence could resonate deeply with voters who feel their needs are overshadowed by the demands of powerful elites.

3. Recognize the Expanding Challenges of Marginalized Communities

Now that we will be “going back,” marginalized communities will constitute an ever-expanding and more powerful coalition. The underperformance of white women in the election may have been due to misplaced confidence in the power of women’s health ballot initiatives at the state level undermining the post-Dobbs energy seen in 2022. Thomas and Alito and their 40-year-old replacements will not stop, however.

We don’t have to out-”fight” them.

4. Focus on Structural Reform for a Functioning Democracy

Instead of continuing to fail to trump Trump with more dogged, superficial “just keep fighting” messages, we can now be open about and explore deeply voter dissatisfaction with the functioning and structure of our democracy and begin to develop plans for reforming it in view of the opportunities and risks of the Age of AI that — unlike Project 2025 — would even be politically attractive. We have been defending “democracy” without knowing what it should be now, opening the door to critics who say that we are only defending sclerotic bureaucracies.

This piece was written in collaboration with Gramsci Ideator and was originally published in The Hybrid Intelligencer.