A revolutionary theory is defined by conscious separation into two camps
Evidence
A theory is “revolutionary” precisely to the extent that it is an element of conscious separation and distinction into two camps and is a peak inaccessible to the enemy camp. To maintain that the philosophy of praxis is not a completely autonomous and independent structure of thought in antagonism to all traditional philosophies and religions, means in reality that one has not severed one’s links with the old world, if indeed one has not actually capitulated. The philosophy of praxis has no need of support from alien sources. It is sufficiently robust and rich in new truths for the old world to come to it to supply itself with a more modern and efficacious arsenal of weapons. This means that the philosophy of praxis is beginning to exercise its own hegemony over traditional culture. But traditional culture, which is still strong and above all is more polished and refined, is trying to react like Greece in defeat which finished by vanquishing its uncouth Roman conqueror. — Antonio Gramsci, Selections from the Prison Notebooks, 1640
Categorization
Category: Definitional Content
- DEFINE: Defines ‘revolutionary’ as separation into opposing camps, not merely a set of new ideas.
- XREF: The Greece-conquering-Rome analogy resonates with Gramsci’s passive revolution idea and the absorption of critique by dominant culture later theorized in Islamophobia work.