Intellectuals attract followers only while their class genuinely advances society.

Evidence

This phenomenon manifests itself “spontaneously” in the historical periods in which the given social group is really progressive—i.e. really causes the whole society to move forward, not merely satisfying its own existential requirements, but continuously augmenting its cadres for the conquest of ever new spheres of economic and productive activity. — Antonio Gramsci, Selections from the Prison Notebooks, 433

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Each rising class generates its own organic intellectuals from its practical activity — Antonio Gramsci, Selections from the Prison Notebooks, 253; A ruling class lacking organic intellectuals cannot sustain hegemony — Antonio Gramsci, Selections from the Prison Notebooks, 1869; Organic intellectuals must both advance theory and transmit it beyond their class. (+2 more)
• yield-rescued: below the book’s yield-target cutoff, included anyway for connecting to: Each rising class generates its own organic intellectuals from its practical activity — Antonio Gramsci, Selections from the Prison Notebooks, 253; A ruling class lacking organic intellectuals cannot sustain hegemony — Antonio Gramsci, Selections from the Prison Notebooks, 1869; Organic intellectuals must both advance theory and transmit it beyond their class. (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• A ruling class lacking organic intellectuals cannot sustain hegemony #complicates (0.75) — Antonio Gramsci, Selections from the Prison Notebooks, 1869
• Philosophy-of-praxis intellectuals stayed rooted in intermediary classes, not the people #complicates (0.72) — Antonio Gramsci, Selections from the Prison Notebooks, 1411