The modernity crisis at the beginning of the 20th century

Abstract

This text intends to present some elements for the study of the role the intelligentsia had on the crisis of modernity at the beginning of the 20t h century. Through this approach, a comparative analysis of the debates about the meaning of history and the meaning of the role of the intelligentsia in Germany and France at the time of the First World War is done. The focus of the analysis were the substantial changes on the role of the intelligentsia after the abdication of the universal ideals and the introduction of the ideal of glory of each nation in the world politics. Ideals of reason, science, culture, liberty and equality were substituted by words such as race, blood, power, instincts and redemption by war.