The Opium of the IntellectualsRaymond Aron's 1955 masterpiece The Opium of the Intellectuals, is one of the great works of twentieth- century political reflection. Aron shows how noble ideas can slide into the tyranny of "secular religion" and emphasizes how political thought has the profound responsibility of telling the truth about social and political reality-in all its mundane imperfections and tragic complexities. Aron explodes the three "myths" of radical thought: the Left, the Revolution, and the Proletariat. Each of these ideas, Aron shows, are ideological, mystifying rather than illuminating. He also provides a fascinating sociology of intellectual life and a powerful critique of historical determinism in the classically restrained prose for which he is justly famous. For this new edition, prepared by Daniel J. Mahoney and Brian C. Anderson as part of Transaction's ongoing "Aron Project," political scientist Harvey Mansfield provides a luminous introduction that underscores the permanent relevance of Aron's work. The new edition also includes as an appendix "Fanaticism, Prudence, and Faith," a remarkable essay that Aron wrote to defend Opium from its critics and to explain further his view of the proper role of political thinking. The book will be of interest to all students of political theory, history, and sociology. |
Contents
The Myth of the Left | 3 |
The Myth of the Revolution | 35 |
The Myth of the Proletariat | 66 |
Concerning Political Optimism | 94 |
Churchmen and the Faithful | 105 |
The Meaning of History | 135 |
The Illusion of Necessity | 161 |
The Control of History | 191 |
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according action American Ancien Régime become believe Bolsheviks bourgeois bourgeoisie Britain capitalism capitalist century Christian Church civilisation classless society collective Communism Communist Party condemn countries culture democracy democratic denounce destiny dialectic dialectical materialism doctrinairism doctrine dogma economic emancipation error Europe European existentialists fact faith Fascism France French future human ideal ideas ideology individual industrial inevitable institutions intellectuals intelligentsia interpretation Iron Curtain Jean-Paul Sartre labour latter lectuals Left left-wing less liberal liberty living Marx Marxist masses means of production ment Merleau-Ponty modern myth never organisation parliamentary perhaps philosophy political prestige private ownership privileged progress progressive Christian prole proletariat reality reason reforms régime religion Revolution revolutionary ruling class Russia Sartre scholasticism sense social socialist Soviet Union Stalin Stalinist struggle tariat theory tion trade unions tradition truth United universal values victory violence West Western workers writers young Marx