The Long
Insurgency

Dossier

Organic intellectuals

Reader glossary: Gramsci’s use

Hold Ctrl and scroll to zoom. Scroll normally to move the page. Rotation pauses while the graph is hovered or focused; use Pause to stop it. Drag empty space to rotate the graph. Shift-drag empty space to pan. Drag a node to move it. With keyboard focus, use arrow keys to move, plus and minus to zoom, and Home to reset the graph. Select a node to open its page. Select a connection to inspect it.

Chronology

No dated events have been published for this page yet.

Overview

Meaning and example

Organic intellectuals are people who help a social class explain its aims and act together. They develop with that class and help it lead. Gramsci meant more than professors and writers. The key was the work a person did in helping a class organize. Organic refers to that link with a class. It does not mean a natural gift or a level of schooling.[7]

Gramsci’s example: A growing business class produced experts in industry and people who helped shape culture and law. Their work helped that class run factories and lead more widely. Workers seeking power also needed people who could explain their aims and help them act together.[7]

Suggest a correction or additional information