The article addresses the problems related to the specialized intellectual’s importance to the progress of post-modern society. The author reveals two types of intellectuals: the Universalist intellectual and the Specialist intellectual, who appeared half a century ago, when scientists were engaged in social life and who, because of their knowledge and civic position, were persecuted since they had become a threat to the political class domination. The author refers to the polemic reflected by the specialty literature in Romania between the public intellectual elite and the spirit middle-class, which claims that the encyclopedic intellectuals, having no specialization, should not dominate the society, while the specialized intellectuals should have an active voice in society. As a conclusion, it is highlighted that the intellectuality ought to become in society the basis of spiritual development, to guarantee and to support free speech and democracy. However, its influence is quite low because of its corruption, as it is responsible for the failures of all alterations during the transition period.