My Secret Plan to Convert Students to Free-Market Economics and Sound Investing Share Share Karl Marx on his tombstone (1883) In the 1930s, the Marxist philosopher Antonio Gramsci (1891-1937) wrote “The Prison Notebooks” while in prison. In these notebooks, he came up with a brilliant idea to convert the world to Marxism and state socialism. He rejected the Communists’ idea of a violent revolution. Instead, he advocated a long-term strategy of gradually taking over a nation’s culture and institutions. His method was for Marxists to infiltrate the media, the churches, the foundations, politics, the entertainment industry (Hollywood) and the colleges and universities.