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“Now is the time of monsters” is a phrase from the Italian Marxist philosopher Antonio Gramsci, meaning the period of upheaval and uncertainty when old orders are failing and new ones haven’t yet emerged, creating space for chaos and extreme ideologies. The phrase has become popular in discussions of political and societal transitions, and it is also the title of a 2024 psychological thriller novel by A.G. Mock.
From Antonio Gramsci
- Context: The phrase comes from Gramsci’s writings while he was imprisoned by Mussolini’s fascist regime in the 1920s.
- Meaning: It refers to an “interregnum,” a transitional period where the established structures of power (hegemony) have collapsed, and a new, stable system has not yet formed.
- The “Monsters”: These are the forces—such as extremism, conflict, and chaos—that fill the void left by the weakening of old systems.
- Symbolism: The “monsters” can also be seen as things that “demonstrate,” “warn,” or “make evident” the failings of the old system.
The phrase “Now is the time of monsters” reflects a period of great uncertainty when an old political or social order is dying and a new one has not yet been born. During this “interregnum,” or in-between time, “morbid symptoms” or monstrous forces can emerge. The statement is widely attributed to the Italian Marxist philosopher Antonio Gramsci, who wrote on the topic in his Prison Notebooks in the 1930s while imprisoned by Italy’s Fascist regime.
While the exact wording (“time of monsters”) may have been a later, more evocative rendering by philosopher Slavoj Žižek, it accurately captures the meaning of Gramsci’s original observation.
Meaning and context
- Interregnum: Gramsci borrowed the term “interregnum” from ancient Roman law, where it described a period of suspended legality between the death of one ruler and the accession of the next. Gramsci extended this idea to a broader historical context, referring to any transitional phase where one system of power is crumbling and another has not yet established itself.
- Morbid symptoms: In his original text, Gramsci described a “great variety of morbid symptoms” that appear in this uncertain period. These “symptoms” are the social, economic, and political crises that emerge in the vacuum of legitimate authority.
- Political “monsters”: The “monsters” are the reactionary forces that flourish in this chaotic environment. Gramsci and other thinkers have used the term to describe various forms of extremism, authoritarianism, populism, and demagoguery that offer simplistic and dangerous solutions to a population disoriented by change.
Modern applications of the quote
The quote has been applied to various modern situations where society is experiencing profound change and instability. Observers use Gramsci’s framework to analyze events where established institutions and norms are breaking down, but a coherent, positive alternative has yet to materialize.
Examples include:
- Political instability: The rise of populist and authoritarian movements around the world in recent decades is often described through this lens. Commentators suggest that the decline of the post-Cold War liberal international order has created a vacuum that has allowed new, more extreme political forces to emerge.
- Economic disruption: Major economic shifts, such as the crises of capitalism or the decline of U.S. economic hegemony, are also viewed as creating the kind of instability where “monsters” can thrive.
- Cultural fragmentation: Ideological conflicts and cultural clashes—including those related to race, gender, and nationalism—can be seen as symptoms of a transitional period, as older cultural narratives lose their power and are challenged by new ones.
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