Mereka yang Mesti Bicara

All men are intellectuals, one could therefore say: but not all men have in society the function of intellectuals (Antonio Gramsci, Prinson Notebooks, hlm. 9)

Kutipan di atas menjadi sangat penting. Paling tidak, ia akan menyenangkan semua orang. Intelektual dalam struktur sosial boleh dimasukkan sebagai kelas menengah. Mereka dipandang sebagai kekompok yang 'berkuasa' karena ide-idenya.

The ideas of the ruling class are in every eposth the ruling ideas: i.e. the class which is the ruling material force of society, is at the same time its ruling intellectual force. The class which has the means of material production as its disposal, has control at the same time over the menas of mental production, so that thereby, generally speaking, the ideas of those who lack the menas of mental production are subject to it. The ruling ideas are nothing more than the ideal expression of the dominant materials relationship grasped as ideas...Insofar, therefore, as they (the individuals of the ruling class) rule as a class and determine the extent and ocmpass of an epoch, it is self-evident that they do this in itw whole range, hence among other things rule also as thinkers, as producers of ideas and regulate the production and distributions of ideas of their age. Thus their ideas are the ruling ideas of an epoch. For instance, in an age and in acountry where royal power, aristocracy and bourgeoisie are contending for mastery, the doctrine of the separation of powers proves to be dominant idea and is expressed in an eternal law. (lihat Manheim dalam Ideology and Utopia).