R
Raymond Aron
Raymond Aron (1905-1983) was a French philosopher, sociologist, and political scientist. His writing explored themes of history, war, and industrial society. He is widely recognized for his work "The Opium of the Intellectuals."
The Opium of the Intellectuals
Synopsis
Raymond Aron's 1955 work examines how noble political ideas can devolve into a form of 'secular religion.' He argues that political thought must truthfully reflect social and political reality, critiquing the myths of the Left, the Revolution, and the Proletariat. Aron also offers a sociology of intellectual life and a critique of historical determinism, all presented in his renowned restrained prose.