In 1927, Julien Benda, the French Philosopher, wrote a major book, The Betrayal of the Intellectuals. Dubbing scholars and writers as "clerks", he accused them of playing "the game of political passion," of abandoning an age-old mantra of "my kingdom is not of this world," of failing to gaze as "moralists upon the conflict of human egotisms", and of promoting evil. In an incredibly powerful statement, Julien wrote: "The men who had acted as a check on the realism of the people began to act as its stimulators."Julien accused intellectuals of sharing in the "chorus of hatreds."
TF
Toyin Falola
Department of History
The University of Texas at Austin
104 Inner Campus Drive
Austin, TX 78712-0220
USA
512 475 7224
512 475 7222 (fax)
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