Most studies on the relationship between intellectuals and society take either a Marxist approach—that intellectuals speak for individual class interests—or claim that intellectuals are beyond class. This book is the first to offer a balanced assessment of the influence intellectuals have had on the historical development of their respective societies by analyzing their shifting ties to various calsses and social groups. Taking a comparative, historical approach, Intellectuals in Liberal Democracies covers Britain, Canada, France, Israel, Italy, the U.S., and West Germany.