The article presents the reflection of Norberto Bobbio on intellectuals. Bobbio's formulation of the exercise of the ideological power as an attribute of these social actors follows four associated premises. The first refers to the social consequences of the different legacies of the past and the diversity of the social structures on the possible performance of the intellectuals. The second refers to the relationships between culture and politics as the axis of the analysis of the intellectuals. The third points to the possibility of constructing typologies of intellectuals. Finally, the question of the responsibility of the intellectuals, one of Bobbio's central concerns. After presenting these premises, the article extends the theoretical contribution of Bobbio to the analysis of the intellectuals in the Brazilian society.
Norberto Bobbio; Intellectuals; Ideological Power; Modernity