The Opium Of The Intellectuals 1

 Full text of "Raymond Aron - The Opium Of The Intellectuals"

Full text of "Raymond Aron - The Opium Of The Intellectuals"

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The Opium of the Intellectuals 

Raymond Aron 

With a new introduction by Harvey C. Mansfield 

Foreword by 

Daniel J. Mahoney and Brian C. Anderson 

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CONTENTS 

FOREWORD TO THE TRANSACTION EDITION 

INTRODUCTION TO THE TRANSACTION EDITION 

FOREWORD 

PART ONE POLITICAL MYTHS 

chapter I. THE MYTH OF THE LEFT 3 

The Retrospective Myth - Dissociation of Values - The 

Dialectic of Regimes - Idea and Reality 

chapter 11. THE MYTH OF THE REVOLUTION 35 

Revolution and Revolutions - The Prestige of the Revolu¬ 

tion - Revolt and Revolution - Revolution in France ? 

chapter hi. THE MYTH OF THE PROLETARIAT 66 

The Proletariat Defined - Real and Ideal Emancipation - 

The Attraction of Ideal Emancipation - The Dullness of 

Real Emancipation 

CONCERNING POLITICAL OPTIMISM 94 

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PART TWO THE IDOLATRY OF HISTORY 

chapter IV. CHURCHMEN AND THE FAITHFUL 105 

The Infallibility of the Party - Revolutionary Idealism - 

Trials and Confessions - Revolutionary ‘ Justice’ 

chapter v. THE MEANING OF HISTORY 135 

Plurality of Meanings - Historical Units - The End of 

History - History and Fanaticism 

chapter VI. THE ILLUSION OF NECESSITY 161 

The Determination of Chance - Theoretical Predictions - 

Historical Predictions - On the Dialectic 

THE CONTROL OF HISTORY 191 

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PART THREE THE ALIENATION OF THE INTELLECTUALS 

chapter vii. THE INTELLECTUALS AND THEIR HOMELAND 203 

On the Intelligentsia - Politics and the Intelligentsia - 

The Intellectuals' Paradise — The Intellectuals' Hell 

chapter VIII. THE INTELLECTUALS AND THEIR IDEOLOGIES 236 

The Basic Factors - The National Debates - The 

Japanese Intellectuals and the French Example - India 

and British Influence 

chapter IX. THE INTELLECTUALS IN SEARCH OF A RELIGION 265 

Economic Opinion or Secular Religion - Militants and 

Sympathisers - From Civil Religion to Stalinism - Secular 

Clericalism 

THE DESTINY OF THE INTELLECTUALS 295 

CONCLUSION 

APPENDIX 

INDEX 

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