La democrazia e lo spirito in Emmanuel Mounier. Un dilemma politico-filosofico (1927-1932)

The article explores the intellectual and philosophical figure of Emmanuel Mounier, reporting some significant texts developed at the turn of the twenties and thirties; Specifically, it is a conference in which Mounier anticipates his critical reflections on the “democracy principle” (Étude critique du principe démocratique, 1927) which will be followed in his personalist philosophy, and in the political-philosophical manifesto that inspired the founding of the “Esprit” Movement (Les directions spirituelles du Mouviment «Esprit which will give its name to the historic magazine dedicated to personalism, born in October 1932 and still published today in France. In the light of Mounier’s political-philosophical statements and proposals contained in these texts, the article proposes a rereading of the French philosopher’s work in relation to the deci- sive role that political action and philosophical reflection play in the intellectual maturation of the personalist theme . Retracing the traces of these conferences, the great relevance of some great conceptual themes emerges from the exegesis of Mounier’s thought.