The title of the book is interesting not only for its reference to Marx's famous statement but because Raymon Aaron was such a giant among intellectuals. This book, written in 1955, is a perfect indictment of the follies and inconsistencys of Marxist thought and intellectual fawning over the Soviet Union. Twenty years later, when I went to college, I had the same ideas but not Mr. Aaron's impressive prose and aplomb in destroying Marxist discourse. I wish I knew of the book back then. An excellen indictment on the longest folly of the 20th century.

Although Aron's treatise was published many decades ago as a brilliant and unsurpassed analysis of French intellectual culture, it has direct relevance for contemporary fads and foibles of Western cultural and intellectual life. Much of what goes on in the academy today becomes lucid when read within Aron's analytical framework. This book should be read by all who care about the education of their children.

Aron's book deserves recognition as one of the classic works of 20th century intellectual history. Written 40 years ago during the battle of ideas between communism and liberal democracy, "The Opium of the Intellectuals" provided profound insight into the mind of the communist intellectual. Aron, a renowned French historian and philosopher, wrote this devastating critique of French radicals (such as John Paul Sartre) during the height of the Cold War. Unlike Albert Camus in his famous book "The Rebel", Aron fires his guns without mercy and exposes these intellectuals' penchant for irrationalism and extremism.

The book's title was derived from Marx's famous quote "Religion is the opium of the people". Marx's belief was that religion diverted people's attention from misery on earth by promising a glorious afterlife. Aron explains communism served this role for radical intellectuals who eloquently rationalized and apologized for communism's barbarism because its promise to deliver utopia on earth. In a nutshell, communism replaced Christianity and other established religions as a new faith, but one grounded in the secular world, not in the heavens. As in all religions, faith is paramount, not reason. Communism's monstrous crimes and wholesale destruction of the individual did not bother these radicals because they believed in the ultimate "means / ends" justification. Since only communism could deliver humanity to the promised-land, it was privileged by its goal, thus any crime could be rationalized as the part of the twisted path to salvation.

This masterpiece illustrates the dangers of radical intellectuals who take a wild leap into political fantasy for the sake of an idea. Fredrich Hayek, the famous Austrian economist, summarized it best 50 years ago when he stated "The distance between a single-minded idealist and a fanatic is just one step".

With this book, you will go a long way towards understanding the congenitally misunderstood figure of Charles de Gaulle. And he's well worth understanding. This book is not a biography and is not organized chronologically. Rather, each chapter delves into different aspects of his political philosophy -- what were his ideas and where did he get them from?

Here is a sampling of some of the themes explored in this book: How de Gaulle interpreted French history, with a discreet preference for the Old Regime and ambivalence towards Napoleon, whose grandeur led him to contempt for moral and physical limits. An analysis of his early writings where he gives a self-portrait describing the "man of character" who is "made for great deeds." His deep moral sense of Christianity and democracy combined with his "egotism, pride, hardness, and cunning." How de Gaulle came to his 1940 decision that resistance was the only legitimate course of action. Why he saw the "constitutional correction" of 1958 as necessary. His views on European union.

The author is obviously admiring of de Gaulle but does not brush away his weak points -- the main one perhaps being that de Gaulle rhetorically treated the two superpowers as though they were an equal danger to France. In the end de Gaulle emerges as a supporter of democracy, but one who is not afraid to criticize its negative aspects. His idea that one must work against democracy's tendancy to promote mediocrity and conformity of ideas is straight out of Alexis de Tocqueville. If you want to get inside the head of de Gaulle, you've got to get your hands on this slim and profoundly thoughtful volume. I found it absolutely fascinating.

This is a monummental work in the study of world politics. Those who want to go beyond text book knowledge of international politics should read this book. In it, Raymond Aron combines theory, sociology, history, and praxiology with profound insight and encyclopedic knowledge. Although his analyses can be difficult for American sudents far from 'philosophizing social science,' must teach you how to think of politics among nations. Profound, brilliant,insightful, marvelously written, in short, this is the most important book in international relations.

This book had all five of my sons (ages 1 to 14) and my husband and I laughing as we read it outloud. The message is so good...that there are great rewards to doing the right thing! The characters learn about listening to their consciences and that it's never too late to do what is right. A classic!