Humanitní vědy a vzdělanci v 19. a 20. století

The paper monitors the transformations of the position of the humanities and scholars in the 19th and 20th centuries. It shows the more or less unexpected acquisition of influence and power in society by a group of educated people in the service of the state or country. They were legitimized by their competence in the humanities – especially those linked to the ancient cultural heritage and secured by university certificates. The prestige capital of this professional group or perhaps even social class was great. They stood out for the 19th century, a time when only a small part of the population possessed full active literacy, the ability to formulate and communicate the problems of society and the time. Already at the beginning of the 20th century, their influence in society began to weaken, two world wars and the modernization and technology of the second half of the century significantly reduced their social role. However, the critical competence of historians and other humanities scholars is socially indispensable even today.