Intellectuals, public opinion and democracy. On Ortega y Gasset's social education

Abstract

Democracy is usually conceived, both within public discourse and political debate, not only as a form of government but also as a positive value that deserves to be universally pursued. However, many criticisms to democratic models have contributed to question this assumption, calling into question a superficial notion of the term. Indeed, a lack of political awareness and social reflection in public opinion is evidently responsible for disruptive failures in advanced models of democracy, opening the way to populisms. Significantly, these inner pitfalls of democracy were patently evident to Ortega y Gasset who, from the end of 1920s, questioned the ways through which intellectuals could effectively contribute to forge opinions and habits of individuals and communities. To lead the beleaguered mayhem caused by an exceptional form of hyper-democracy, he unceasingly strove to define an original intellectual commitment to mass education. This paper offers a critical analysis in historical context of Ortega y Gasset’s political and educational project to reform humanities and promote an aware political participation.