New Philosophers

The New Philosophers were French intellectuals who rose to prominence in the 1970s, rejecting Marxism and criticizing totalitarianism and revolutionary politics.

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André Glucksmann: A French philosopher and essayist whose critiques of Marxism and totalitarianism helped define the New Philosophers. His 1975 book The Master Thinkers became a key statement of the movement.
May 1968 events in France: A wave of student protests and worker strikes that disrupted France in May and June 1968. The New Philosophers emerged from a generation shaped by the revolt’s hopes and aftermath.
Totalitarianism: A form of rule that seeks comprehensive political control over society and public life. The group made opposition to totalitarian power central to its critique of revolutionary politics.
Barbarism with a Human Face: Bernard-Henri Lévy’s 1977 book arguing that revolutionary ideology could conceal political barbarism. Its success made the New Philosophers a prominent force in French public debate.
Eurocommunism: A strategy pursued by some Western European communist parties to distance themselves from Soviet control and emphasize parliamentary democracy. Unlike the New Philosophers, Eurocommunists sought to reform communism rather than reject Marxism.
Bernard-Henri Lévy: A French philosopher, writer, and public intellectual associated with the New Philosophers. His 1977 book Barbarism with a Human Face brought the group broad attention.
French Communist Party: A French political party founded in 1920 that became a major force in the labor movement and postwar politics. Its influence made the break with orthodox communism politically consequential.
Authoritarianism: A political system that concentrates power and restricts political competition without necessarily controlling every aspect of society. Distinguishing it from totalitarianism clarifies the movement’s broader claims about political domination.
The Master Thinkers: André Glucksmann’s 1977 book criticizing major philosophical systems for legitimizing political domination. It connected the movement’s anti-totalitarian argument to a critique of Western philosophy.
New Left: A broad range of left-wing movements that emerged from the 1950s onward, often challenging both capitalism and Soviet communism. The movement’s break with Marxism set it apart from much of the New Left’s revolutionary inheritance.