Helmut Schelsky - A munkát mások végzik el

Helmut Schelsky (1912-1984) German sociologist. In the first half of his life, he dealt with social theory, then empirical research, and later sociology of law. Despite his prestige and influence, his book was sharply attacked.
Due to the weakening of Christianity, Matthew Arnold and then Max Weber stated that the intelligentsia takes over the role of the clergy, which is primarily the interpretation of the world. This was complemented by Trotsky's increasingly popular claim that the knowledge elite was the new ruling class. After 1968, the topic became a criticism of the left-wing intellectuals who dominated the public and universities. Its literary representation is Malcolm Bradbury's novel History's Confidant. According to the volume, the left-wing intelligentsia, despite its emancipatory and egalitarian rhetoric, has become a Gnostic ruling class, which justifies its ruling position with its promises of a savior-like future. In this way, he is freed from the work that is done by others who are looked down upon and waiting for liberation. On the other hand, he constantly fights for his autonomy, so that only he can judge his own performance.
The author primarily analyzes the situation of left-wing intellectuals and sociologists of the Frankfurt school, whom he considers both the new ruling class and the new clergy. The last big chapter of the book is called Antisociology. The "critical" sociologists responded to the critical writing with fierce attacks and exclusion of the author. The left quickly and mercilessly took revenge on the author.