Single Idea 20936

[catalogued under 24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 2. Leaders / a. Autocracy]

Full Idea

Caesarism (as the emergence of a 'heroic' personality) expresses a situation in which the forces in conflict balance each other in a catastrophic manner ...which can only terminate in their reciprocal destruction.

Gist of Idea

Caesarism emerges when two forces in society are paralysed in conflict

Source

Antonio Gramsci (Selections from Prison Notebooks [1971], 2 'Caesarism')

Book Reference

Gramsci,Antonio: 'Selections from Prison Notebooks', ed/tr. Hoare,Q./Nowell Smith,G [Lawrence and Wishart 1978], p.219


A Reaction

He goes on to distinguish progressive and reactionary versions of Caesarism. Gramsci's interest is in the circumstances that throw up such people. Marx had identified 'Bonapartism'.