In this chapter/thesis, Gouldner seeks to answer the question: What are the origins of alienation of the New Class? To begin with, isolation of the New Class is not a recent event. Isolation of intellectuals and radicalization of classes has been happening throughout history. Gouldner goes on to describe a “communist consciousness” described by Marx. Marx and Engel claim that some intellectuals are radicalized by their historical consciousness. Gouldner claims that this statement is a contradiction because “How could the consciousness of a revolutionary proletariat emerge among those whose social being was that of the “ruling class”? “(58). Therefore, Gouldner argues that Marx and Engel’s views of the radicalization of intellectuals are too idealized.
The main question that Gouldner seeks to answer is: How do we account for the alienation of intellectuals and intelligentsia? Intelligentsia originated in Russia during the 1860’s and in this context refers to a very educated class of people. To consider how they have been isolated over time Gouldner analyzes a variety of factors. First he looks at the culture of critical discourse (CCD) which focuses on the thought process of intellectuals. Next, Gouldner looks at the blockage of upward mobility for intellectuals. An example of this is training more native intellectuals than needed to fill certain jobs which makes it a more selective and rigorous process. He also looks at their relationship between income and power, as well as the relationship with their cultural capital and self-regard. Another condition that Gouldner analyzes is the intellectuals’ relationship with social totality (in regards to how they view social phenomena with a historical context). Finally, he evaluates their blockage of technical interests. Overall, these factors help us determine how well the New Class adheres to the culture of critical discourse. Through doing this Gouldner can determine how intellectuals have been isolated. He goes on to describe the “isolation of intellectuals as “distances persons from local cultures, so that they feel an alienation from all particularistic, history-bound places and from ordinary, everyday life”’ (Gouldner, 59). These factors are what isolate intellectuals from ordinary people and from the rest of society.
Another important part of this chapter discussed the importance of human capital in the New Class. Gouldner claims that investing in intellectuals of the New Class determines their success in the future. He goes on to discuss the overproduction of education and manpower. He states that investing in cultural capital, “promises to intensify sharply the alienation of the New Class in the near future and to heighten its internal unity against the old class” (66). The investment in education, in a sense, can cause tensions between classes as to who should be in power.
Overall, Gouldner’s analysis of the New Class in this chapter mostly concerned their isolation and alienation from society. During class we will discuss more about the factors that have caused this and how the New Class’ investment in cultural capital gives them the ability to dominate production and careers in society.