Gramsci's analysis of intellectuals departed radically from conventional understandings. He argued that all people are intellectuals insofar as they think and reason, though not all function as intellectuals in society. He distinguished between traditional intellectuals—those who appear autonomous from class interests, such as priests, teachers, and administrators—and organic intellectuals who emerge from and articulate the worldview of a particular class. Traditional intellectuals maintain an illusion of independence while typically serving existing power structures.
Intellectuals as Organizers of Hegemony
Organic intellectuals serve critical functions in establishing and maintaining hegemony. They don't simply produce ideas but organize culture, create consensus, and provide leadership for their class. For the ruling class, organic intellectuals include business managers, technocrats, and media professionals who translate economic power into cultural authority. They make particular class interests appear universal and develop strategies for incorporating opposition.
Revolutionary Intellectuals
Gramsci's concept became particularly significant for understanding how subordinate classes could challenge hegemony. Working-class movements required their own organic intellectuals—individuals who could articulate working-class experiences, develop alternative worldviews, and provide leadership in cultural and political struggles. These intellectuals emerge from working-class life while gaining theoretical sophistication, maintaining connections to their class rather than becoming absorbed into dominant institutions.
Contemporary Relevance
This framework illuminates current debates about expertise, activism, and knowledge production. It questions the supposed neutrality of academic and professional expertise while recognizing the need for specialized knowledge in social movements. The challenge remains developing intellectual work that serves emancipatory purposes rather than reproducing existing hierarchies, and creating institutions where intellectual labor connects to broader struggles for justice.