I think the civic sphere still depends on the economy in some capacity (how marxist of me). Authoritarian capture of the civics in post-Soviet Russia and Hungary didn't happen all at once, but Putin and Orban harnessed genuinely improving material conditions of that moment in history. In the US, (unless we get to singularity) it is hard to imagine Trump's reign improving anything, and juxtaposing that with the dooming population conditioned to always think that "economy sucks", the right-wing hegemonic project faces some headwinds. Liberal prospects are even worse though, for the right-wing at least has the capacity to ignore the Constitution. Trench warfare it is.
Are the Popper and Gramsci visions really in that much tension? It seems to me that you could sort of add a layer to the general Gramsci description (the context of political struggle is the balance of power in the prepolitical cultural realm) to say that in a functional democracy of the type Soros wants civil society is too multipolar to be rapidly moved in any direction, so an aspiring authoritarian hits a bunch of roadblocks.
I think you can question how independent those loci of power are (there was clearly a possible version of this administration where even more institutions than already have knuckle under without a fight, rendering their apparent independence meaningless), but it also seems clear that a spirit of popular resistance is more powerful if it has some preexisting effective institions to put backbone into.
Depending on how badly the next 3 years go, it is the Dems who may actually have an opportunity to establish a progressive, competitive authoritarian regime.
Even with your eyes on the road, and your hands upon the wheel, the future's uncertain, the end is quite surreal. Way too much appears to be scant more than street theater, organ grinders and their Monkees. The poultry feigning horror. Daddy was an actuary, so I learned early of the commonality of outcomes. I'm happy to experience them, howsoever they arrive, channeling my inner Winston. Oh, and thanks for your work. Helps a bunch with focus on any particular point of view. Let's hope we're a ways from where the Law really comes to get you when you don't think right.
I think the civic sphere still depends on the economy in some capacity (how marxist of me). Authoritarian capture of the civics in post-Soviet Russia and Hungary didn't happen all at once, but Putin and Orban harnessed genuinely improving material conditions of that moment in history. In the US, (unless we get to singularity) it is hard to imagine Trump's reign improving anything, and juxtaposing that with the dooming population conditioned to always think that "economy sucks", the right-wing hegemonic project faces some headwinds. Liberal prospects are even worse though, for the right-wing at least has the capacity to ignore the Constitution. Trench warfare it is.
Very appreciative of your blog etc. turning me onto Garmsci; marxism talking about equilibria is the kind I (econ-brained) can get into
Are the Popper and Gramsci visions really in that much tension? It seems to me that you could sort of add a layer to the general Gramsci description (the context of political struggle is the balance of power in the prepolitical cultural realm) to say that in a functional democracy of the type Soros wants civil society is too multipolar to be rapidly moved in any direction, so an aspiring authoritarian hits a bunch of roadblocks.
I think you can question how independent those loci of power are (there was clearly a possible version of this administration where even more institutions than already have knuckle under without a fight, rendering their apparent independence meaningless), but it also seems clear that a spirit of popular resistance is more powerful if it has some preexisting effective institions to put backbone into.
The hegemonic crisis will continue because no one has the social base sufficiently powerful to grapple with material foundations of that crisis.
Depending on how badly the next 3 years go, it is the Dems who may actually have an opportunity to establish a progressive, competitive authoritarian regime.
Even with your eyes on the road, and your hands upon the wheel, the future's uncertain, the end is quite surreal. Way too much appears to be scant more than street theater, organ grinders and their Monkees. The poultry feigning horror. Daddy was an actuary, so I learned early of the commonality of outcomes. I'm happy to experience them, howsoever they arrive, channeling my inner Winston. Oh, and thanks for your work. Helps a bunch with focus on any particular point of view. Let's hope we're a ways from where the Law really comes to get you when you don't think right.