OTHER WORKS BY AND ABOUT HERBERT MARCUSE PUBLISHED BY BEACON PRESS Counterrevolution and Revolt, by Herbert Marcuse (1972) The Critical Sprit: Essa?s in Honor of Herbert Marcuse, edited by Kurt H. Wolff and Barrington Moore, Jr 967) A Critique of Pure Tolerance, by Robert Paul Wolff, Barrington Moore, Jr., and Herbert Marcuse (1965) Eros and Civilization: A Philosophical Inquiry into Freud, by Herbert Marcuse (1955, 1966) An Essay on Liberation, by Herbert Marcuse (1966) Five Lectures: Psychoanalysis, Politics, and Utopia, by Herbert Marcuse (1970) Negations: Essays in Critical Theory, by Herbest Marcuse (1968) One-Dimensional Man: Studies in the Ideology of Advanced Industrial Society, by Herbert Marcuse (1964) Reason and Revolution: Hegel and the Rise of Social Theory, by Herbert Marcuse (1960) Studies in Critical Philosophy, by Herbert Marcuse (1973) THE AESTHETIC TOWARD A CRITIQUE OF MARXIST AESTHETICS HERBERT MARCUSE Beacon Press BostonOriginally published in Ge-man under the ttle Die Permanenz der Kunst: Wider eine bestimmie Marsistsche Aesthet (Munich: Carl Hanser Verlag, copyright © 1977 by Herbert Marcuse) English version translated and revised by Herbert Marcuse and Erica Sherover, copyright © 1978 Beacon Press books are published under the auspices of the Unitarian Universalis: Association Published simultaneously in Canada by Fitzhenry & Whiteside Limited, Toronto All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America 987654321 98765432 Library of Congress Cataleging in Publication Data Marcuse, Herbert, 1896— ‘The aesthetic dimension, ‘Translation of Die Permanenz der Kunst, Bibliography: p. Includes index. 1. Marx, Karl, 1818-1883 — Aesthetics — Addresses, essays lectures. "1. Til B3305.M74M3513 1978 335.411 76-9001 ISBN 0-8070-1518-0 ‘Acknowledgments Preface I Bis m Vv v Conclusion Notes Bibliography IndexErica Sherover has given the manuscript a critical reading from the first draft to the final version. She has discussed with me every paragraph, and insisted on improvements. This little book is dedi- cated to her: my wife, friend, and collaborator. Intensive discussions with my friends Leo Lowenthal and Reinhard Lettau have been a great help and a great pleasure. Leo Lowenthal has again proved his reputation as a fierce reader and critic; Reinhard Lettau has demonstrated that authentic literature—literature as resistance—is still possible today. ‘My stepsons Osha and Mictael Neumann gave me stimulating suggestions: Michael by encouraging comments, Osha in lively conversations about his own work in art. My son Peter, whose work in urban planning Jed us to common problems, has again been a dear friend and advisor. Tam particularly grateful to Catherine Asmann who typed about half a dozen versions of this essay—and liked it, My debt to the aesthetic theory of Theodor W. Adomo does not require any specific ac~ knowledgment.