Raymond Aron: the Intellectual in Politics and the Policy of the Intellectual

Abstract

This article is devoted to the study of the intellectual heritage of the famous historian, philosopher and social thinker Raymond Aron in the political and cultural context of 20th century France. On the example of the discussions between R. Aron and J.-P. Sartre, the author analyzes the the extent to which ideological ties influenced the political and intellectual culture of France in the postwar period. Considered also is the contribution of the French thinker in the development of the theme of the political engagement of intellectuals. It is concluded that in his work Aron was trying to find a balance in the social positioning of the modern European intellectual as lying between the position of an indifferent eyewitness and an analyst-observer. Refs 19.