Customer Reviews

The Burden of Responsibility: Blum, Camus, Aron, and the French Twentieth Century

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Tony Judt's "The Burden of Responsibility" makes a fitting companion volume to his earlier "Past Imperfect" (1992). While that volume was concerned with how some of the most important post-war French intellectuals willfully blinded themselves to Stalinist atrocities, "Burden" shows us the obverse. Judt presents us with three clearly-written and balanced portraits of men who refused to let ideology shield them from confronting the complexities of their times. Each of these three men - Leon Blum, Albert Camus, and Raymond Aron - were men of the Left but they refused to adhere to the (then-)standard line of justifying Communist political violence and terror in the name of the higher goal of revolutionary social transformation. The difficulties that each of these men faced in trying to etch out a moral and practical political position between the bitterly divisive ideological contests of their times, in Judt's view, makes each of these men distinctive. Yet, the author is even-handed enough to point out each of his protagonists' failures - Blum's inability to create a workable governing coalition or a rational economic policy, Camus's philosophical ineptitutdes, and Aron's rather mandarin arrogance, for example. Judt is fair enough to accept that many of their opponents's criticisms of them were justified (he doesn't turn his protagonists into saints or martyrs) but convincingly argues that each man gauged the issues of their day - (Socialism for Blum, Algeria for Camus, and Marxism for Aron) more accurately than their more ideologically-driven counterparts. All this is by way of saying that "The Burden of Responsibility" carries an unstated but not-so-discreet warning against the theoretically-driven academic left of our day. In his intelligent appraisal and recognition of three men who moved past the boundaires of ideological thinking and faced the contemporary issues as they actually existed, Judt also presents us with a model of intellectual enagement that goes beyond mere word-spinning. Both an compelling history of men caught in conflicts of their times (and Judt situates them in their epoch with masterly ease) and an engaging polemic, "The Burden of Responsibility" is an essential read for anyone interested in modern intellectual history.

Though this book is not intended to offer three character sketches per se, it has done more to bring these great twentieth-century Frenchmen to life for me than any other work I've read. Judt is able to bring some continuity to the idea of intellectual integrity by not only describing what each of these men stood for but also what they stood against. Yes, they all stood against Communism (with a big C), but each of them stood against elements of political and intellectual fashion in defense of their own convictions as well. Blum stood against malice. Camus, against moral relativity. And Aron, against intellectual ignorance and conformity. Together they did more to defend the human condition from political and intellectual tyranny than all other twentieth century French intellectuals. This is a powerful look at how the temptations of intellectual and political affiliation need not take the place of rigor and conviction. And, to be honest, it's lucid presentation of each character nearly brought this one to tears. Deserves to be read by a general audience, or anyone who continues to be mystified by these great French figures.

This is one of the most illuminating books on mid-20th century French history I have come across. Tony Judt says a great deal in a short amount of space, and he says it in a manner that is clear and straight to the point. His strong sympathies with Blum, Camus and Aron are obvious, and perhaps a little more needs to be said to explain why so many other French intellectuals lost their way in these years amid the temptations of right-wing extremism, communism and plain self-importance. But that would have turned it into a different kind of book. Tony Judt has done a fine job in reminding us of the courage and good sense of these three men, who did more than most to uphold the dignity of their country in hard times. Congratulations, too, to the University of Chicago Press for publishing such an elegant volume.

This is a very good appreciation of 3 distinctive French intellectuals, all of whom played a significant role in larger French culture. Blum, Camus, and Aron were all leftists, but of a moderate sort, and in different ways, opposed to the superficial and dogmatic Marxism that characterized much of the French Left. All were quite accomplished intellectuals, independent thinkers, and French patriots. All were stigmatized by the 'mainstream' of French intellectual life because of their independence. The three essays comprising this book vary somewhat in quality. The best is on Leon Blum, partly because Blum, the major figure of the interwar Socialist Party, was the most important, and perhaps the least known to American readers. Judt offers a very nice, and occasionally eloquent, analysis of Blum's career as a politician and statesman. The essay on Aron is also very good and shows nicely the range of this polymathic figure. The essay on Camus is perhaps the least interesting, but that is partly because Camus' story is relatively well known, rather than because of any deficiency on Judt's part. What contributed to the independence of these individuals? Partly it was a matter of their considerable intellects and distinctive personalities. Partly because unlike many intellectuals, they were all engaged in what might be called 'real world' activities. None was content with a purely intellectual career. Blum was a prominent politician and prior to his political career, a successful attorney. Camus worked as journalist, as did Aron, and the latter was involved in politics to some extent. All were also in different ways outsiders. Blum and Aron were both Jews, and Blum in particular was subjected to anti-semitic vilification which he bore with considerable dignity. Camus was a poor provincial boy from Algeria. All made significant contributions to French life that will probably outlive the achievements of their critics.

Perhaps this review isn't justified (I have only read the section on Camus), but this book is a marvel. Tony Judt has created perhaps the most endearing written portrait of Albert Camus I have ever read. If you are interested in the artist's life, please do yourself a favor and read this book (then read Olivier Todd's full biography). Albert is presented here in a most proper fashion: ambiguous but dignified, somewhere between Pascal and Nietzsche. (Much like the characters in his works, no?) FYI: Judt has written a forward for the new translation of "The Plague" - due out soon, I hope. To summarize: Thanks, Tony.

THE BURDEN OF RESPONSIBILITY is a marvelous book of intellectual history -- specifically 20th-Century French intellectual history, although some of the ideas discussed remain relevant today and have a truly global reach. Essentially the book consists of three moderately long essays (each about 50 pages) on Léon Blum, Albert Camus, and Raymond Aron. Judt attempts to connect the three figures under the umbrella of "responsibility". That effort is a little strained, although all three certainly rejected the role of an intellectual as commentator or kibitzer on his times and instead took seriously, at least on some issues, the notion of social engagement. Also in common among the three was a decidedly liberal political orientation that nonetheless firmly excluded communism (at least for most of their respective public lives), so much so that each was excoriated by the principal cliques of the French Left for his anti-communism. Finally, each was led by his principles and integrity to positions that he had to maintain virtually alone; each was in a sense an outsider.

I previously knew very little about Léon Blum. From the essay on him I learned a lot about French politics in the first half of the 20th-Century, including how thoroughly and disgustingly permeated it was by virulent anti-Semitism. (Vichy France certainly was not solely and simply the handiwork of the occupying German Nazis, foisted upon the French wholly against their inclinations.) But Blum, admirable though he was, is not one of the intellectual heroes of the 20th-Century, and the essay on him does not provide compelling reason to buy and read this book.

But the essays on Albert Camus and Raymond Aron are compelling, and each by itself is reason for reading the book. I would be pleasantly surprised to find a better discussion of either man's thinking.

At bottom, Albert Camus was not really an intellectual. "He could not match Aron for intellectual firepower, nor challenge Sartre's merciless polemical ascendancy. But then neither Aron nor Sartre shared Camus's comprehensive sensitivity to his time and its troubles." Camus had both a sensuality and a fundamental morality that were basically inimical to an intellectual. He also had an elemental honesty, so that as the world after WWII and into the `50s became more and more complex Camus was unable, in good conscience, to offer guidance or opinions and he gradually retreated into silence.

Aron, on the other hand, was better equipped, intellectually, to dispassionately analyze the complexities of 20th-Century politics. Indeed, Judt's essay convinces me that Aron was one of the great intellectuals and clear-headed thinkers of the Century. Aron's acceptance of the relativism of historical knowledge yet simultaneous insistence on the necessity (actively or by default) of making choices and taking actions with consequences is invigorating, as is his realism. The human political condition "is never a struggle between good and evil, but between the preferable and the detestable."

If you believe in the possibility of rational and humanistic politics you probably will find THE BURDEN OF RESPONSIBILITY rewarding. And if you have an interest in either Albert Camus or Raymond Aron, the book is virtually essential reading.

A sad postscript. While I was in the midst of reading this book, I read a short piece in the January 14, 2010 issue of "The New York Review of Books", the import of which is that Tony Judt suffers from ALS, which has progressed to its final debilitating stages. Life can be cruel.

Tony Judt has written a fascinating book describing three courageous 20th century French intellectuals,Leon Blum,Albert Camus, and Raymond Aron, who maintained their convictions often in the face of severe criticism and persecution.

First Blum.Like Rabbi Leo Baeck who maintained a deep love and appreciation of Germany in spite of being imprisoned in Nazi concentration camps, Blum underwent a similar experience. Jailed by the Vichy regime in 1936 and later held hostage by the Nazi's at Buchenwald, Blum held fast to his belief that this was not the true France to which he was devoted but a temporary situation, an "epiphenomenon" to use Judt's term.

As for Camus, he was pretty much relegated to philosopher for high school students as the structuralists and present historians like Barthes and Foucault became the hegemons over the French literary scene. But Judt reminds us that perhaps we were too quick to dismiss Camus as "depasse". In L'Homme revolte,Camus argues that the brutality and barbarism exercised by Marxist regimes cannot be tolerated, especially in the name of historicism. And unlike Gramsci,who believed in the organic intellectual as a product of the specialization occurring in society, Camus resembled E.M.Forster whose first loyalty was not to the class or party struggle but to his family.

The final characterization provides a study of Raymond Aron,the respected academic. Aron felt that understanding society was not sufficient but that in the Weberian sense, taking a stand and acting was the responsibility of the intellectual. As early as 1931, he wrote of the peril looming in Germany, though few heeded his warnings. Again in 1968 during the radical student movement, Aron was a voice of reason arguing that "even a university, whatever its well recognized defects, depended on a degree of order." (p.151) Like Camus, he felt that the 20th century human world was far too complicated to be explained by a particular doctrine.

The common thread that Judt stresses throughout the book is the notion of responsibility. For Blum, it meant one should be a participant in political affairs, not a spectator. For Camus, responsibility is to fight evil. And for Aron, a responsibility to ground oneself in a wide range of topics before entering the debate.

To conclude, Tony Judt has delivered a fine piece of intellectual history, doing a great service to rekindle interest in this distinguished trio at a time when their reason can be truly appreciated and applied.

The author of this book is my prof. at NYU and he is simply amazing. He is the best history prof. I've ever had, and words can't describe how intelligent this man is. I'm enrolled in his course titled "History of Europe since 1945" and I must say that the prof. is a walking encyclopedia, and really knows everything there is to know about Europe. I haven't had the chance to read any of his books yet, but I will look them up at the NYU library soon.. I have so much reading for his class I don't think I'll be able to do any leisure reading for the rest of the semester, but I'll pick up one of his books this winter break.