Editorial - From words to bullets: the cultural battle is already on

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From the depths of his imprisonment in Fascist Italy, the philosopher and journalist Antonio Gramsci pondered the failure of communism – and formulated the thesis of cultural hegemony, i.e. the ability of a social group to impose its codes and aspirations on the whole of society. Ironically, Gramsci's greatest disciples today are the heirs of his enemies. On the right of the right, those who have watched in horror the major progressive advances of recent decades – sexual liberation, abortion rights, gay marriage, Black lives matter, MeToo… – are determined to impose their way of seeing society and politics.

Donald Trump and the Maga movement are the new champions of this fight for regression. There's no doubt about it: the man with the blond locks is simply defending the traditional domination of "old white men" (with or without foundation) who find it normal to trample on minorities and look down on women. But his political allies are thinking much further ahead than the comfort of this slipper-wearing patriarchy.