Did Barthes support the French “New Philosophers”, and, most notably, Bernard-Henri Lévy, in spite of Deleuze’s reluctance along with that of other members of the left Parisian intelligentsia ? This “affair” gave Barthes the opportunity to reflect upon his attitude to Marxism, Leninism and the idea of revolution in the 1970s. His reaction to an event as elusive as the Iranian revolution of 1979 demonstrates his preference for a demanding form of democracy which balances individualism with sociability.