THE INTELLECTUAL IN REVOLUTION (Intelektualista (w) rewolucji)

The author tries to examine the social role of an intellectual in days of revolution. The author focuses on the meaning of an idea - an abstraction, which begins to have an impact on reality, transforming itself into ideology and creating ideologists. The problem is illustrated by biography of Camille Desmoulins, one of the main figures of French Revolution. The author also pays attention to possibility of using elements of sociological theory in order to interpret the revolutionary intellectual's motivations and aims. Florian Znaniecki's categories as put forth in 'Spoleczne role uczonych' as well as Alexis de Tocqueville's reflections regarding relationships between politics and ideologically engaged literature and journalism are also employed.