Book review

European Journal of Social Theory

1–5
Book review ª The Author(s) 2020
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DOI: 10.1177/1368431020942496
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Kieran Durkin and Joan Braune (eds), Erich Fromm’s Critical Theory: Hope, Human-
ism, and the Future. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2020. 248 pp. £85. ISBN 978-1-
3500-8701-9 (hbk)

Erich Fromm (1900–1980) was a sociologist, psychoanalyst and Marxist theorist, who is
perhaps best known today for his association with the Frankfurt School of Critical
Theory. For contemporary social theorists, Fromm’s work presents a fascinating synth-
esis of a humanist Marxism and a ‘sociologised’ reading of Freud, which produced such
concepts as ‘pathological normalcy’, ‘biophilia’, ‘being vs having’ and ‘social charac-
ter’. Durkin and Braune’s excellent edited volume succeeds in demonstrating the impor-
tance of Fromm’s scholarship: both its underappreciated significance in the development
of the Frankfurt School, but perhaps most importantly, its utility for contemporary social
research into ascendant forms of fascism, alienation and anxiety. The contributors to this
collection are all of exceptional provenance and both Durkin and Braune will be familiar
names to Fromm scholars: Durkin for his The Radical Humanism of Erich Fromm, and
Braune for her Erich Fromm’s Revolutionary Hope: Prophetic Humanism as a Critical
Theory of the Future. Due to its accessibility and interdisciplinarity, this collection will
be of interest not just to Fromm scholars but to all political and social theorists invested
in developing an interdisciplinary Critical Theory. This is a truly timely volume and one
worthy of considered engagement.
The book is divided into three sections, ‘Radical and Prophetic Humanism’, ‘Social
and Psychological Aspects’ and ‘Authoritarianism, Fascism, and the Contested Future’.
The volume starts with an extended introduction by Kieran Durkin and concludes with a
future-oriented essay by Joan Braune on the importance of Fromm’s work for antifascist
scholarship today.
Durkin’s introduction, ‘Mapping Fromm’s Critical Theory’, provides a superb, con-
cise intellectual biography of Fromm and demonstrates the importance of his contribu-
tion to Marxist humanism and to psychoanalysis. For readers new to Fromm’s work, this
chapter provides a clear and accessible introduction, while not shying away from the
complexities of Fromm’s thought; Durkin’s presentation of Fromm’s revisions to Freud
are particularly cogently handled.
The first section of the volume, ‘Radical and Prophetic Humanism’, commences with
Michael J Thompson’s chapter, ‘Erich Fromm and the Ontology of Social Relations’.
In his past work Thompson has mounted a convincing critique of what he identified as
2 European Journal of Social Theory XX(X)

the ‘neo-idealism’ and neoliberal apologism of contemporary Critical Theory. More

recently, his work has moved to rebuild the foundations of critical theory through a
return to social ontology and through the development of a new critical theory of
judgement. In keeping with this broader project, Thompson’s chapter in this volume
outlines how Fromm’s ‘distinctive take on a critical theory of society takes the social
ontology of our relational sociality as the primary source of social and personal pathol-
ogies’ (p. 24). For Thompson, this return to a relational and, particularly, ontological
understanding of the social is essential for the renewal of Critical Theory. In this regard,
Thompson’s chapter serves to locate Fromm’s work within the tradition of Rousseau,
Hegel and Marx: a ‘positive freedom’ perspective which acknowledges the importance
of social interdependence, recognising that, ‘one’s own good is dialectically related to
the good of others’ (pp. 28–29). The ‘concrete’ conception of Freedom this insight
enables captures the ‘totality of real human life and activity’ (p. 33), rather than focusing
on the abstract noumenal and cognitive capacities of neo-idealist thought, which are
presented as being immune from constitutive power. In contrast, Fromm’s approach is
presented as capable of offering an ‘ontological ballast to normative concepts of free-
dom’ (p. 34). Thompson’s chapter is expertly written and convincingly presents Fromm
as providing ‘an objective referent for our diagnosis of social pathologies’ (p. 36).
I consider this a fascinating and promising line of inquiry. Thompson’s chapter offers
a considered engagement with Fromm which serves to reinforce the significance and
timeliness of his critique of the ‘domesticated’ state of contemporary Critical Theory.
Chapter Two, Michael Löwy’s, ‘Jewish Messianism and Revolutionary Utopias in
Central Europe: Erich Fromm’s Early writings’ (1922–1930) is the only contribution
which is not original to the collection. It offers a significant change of focus to Thomp-
son’s chapter, providing a clear introduction to the more theological content of Fromm’s
work. This chapter will be of particular interest to Fromm scholars as it focuses on lesser
studied aspects of Fromm’s thought, contextualising his early publications, and charting
the development of Fromm’s fusion of a psychoanalysis and Marxism as a framework
through which to advance applied social research. Löwy convincingly presents Fromm
as an atheist-Marxist who retains the messianic inflections of Jewish scripture.
The third chapter in the volume is George Lundskow’s ‘The Necessity of Prophetic
Humanism in Progressive Change’. This contribution is less in keeping with the other
chapters in the volume in both style and content. Despite the title, Lundskow’s chapter is
more a repeated assertion of the necessity of a political theology, developed through an
expansive discussion of both Huey Newton and contemporary American politics.
In summary, Lundskow purports that attempts at socialist transition which do not incor-
porate a clear ‘new religion’ (p. 52) will inevitably fail. Readers who, like myself, have
sympathy with Marx’s arguments on religion in Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right
might feel the chapter could have benefited from a brief engagement with the plurality of
opposing positions. Readers may feel a certain disconnect between the title’s ‘prophetic
humanism’ and some of the more standard religious references made in the chapter
(pp. 58, 61). Primarily, it is unclear what precisely Lundskow’s ‘new religion’ would
consist of. I counted 12 near synonyms for ‘religion’ used throughout the chapter includ-
ing a ‘spiritual struggle’ (p. 54), ‘transcendent faith’ (p. 53), ‘social morality that exalts
the ideal of goodness’ (p. 55), ‘progressive spirituality’ (p. 57), ‘spirit of interaction’
Book review 3

(p. 62), ‘eternal truths . . . open to everyone’ (p. 63) and ‘meaningful and legitimate limits
on desires’ (p. 59); however, none were consistently developed. I believe the chapter
would have been improved by a clear outlining of what this religiosity actually refers to
and how it could be manifested. Committed antitheists may be attracted to Fromm’s
prophetic humanism, yet many of Lundskow’s references are to the standard institutions
of the dominant monotheistic religions: ‘churches, synagogues, mosques, temples’ (p.
61) and to scripture (p. 58). While Lundskow’s chapter contains a valuable contribution,
rightly stressing the importance of a positive, ‘warm-stream’ (to quote Bloch) to the
socialist endeavour, precisely how ‘religion’ features in debates around socialist transi-
tion needs to be sensitively handled so as to not risk alienating those of divergent
persuasions. Lundskow’s assertions, for example, ‘what should we do? The answer
decides our path, and the answer depends on religion’ (p. 57) are thought-provoking,
however they would benefit from a more developed, rigorous analysis. My concern is
that if this chapter was read in isolation, the reader may reasonably conclude that
Fromm’s thought necessitates a commitment to a nebulous religiosity and a hostility
to atheistic desires for socialist praxis. In contrast, Fromm was an atheist, whose mes-
sianic inflection did not manifest in an appreciation of the dogmas of the dominant
monotheisms, tensions that the author could have productively engaged with.
Part Two of the volume, ‘Social and Psychological Aspects’, starts with Chapter Four,
Roger Foster’s, ‘Erich Fromm and the Prospects for Renewing Critical Theory in the
Neoliberal era’. This chapter has similarities with Michael J Thompson’s opening con-
tribution, in that Foster turns to Fromm to provide an alternative to the limitations present
in today’s dominant, Habermasian/Honnethian Critical Theory. Foster’s chapter is
excellent at presenting the fusion of depth psychology and sociology in Fromm’s
account. With some frighteningly convincing comparisons between the present and the
1930s, Foster shows how Fromm’s work can help us understand how neoliberalism has
so successfully captured the anxieties of the current age; how drives for self-expression,
autonomy and freedom have been co-opted by the neoliberal diktat of perpetual con-
sumption. Connecting this to Fromm’s groundbreaking Fear of Freedom, Foster’s class-
sensitive analysis identifies how emancipatory trends are reshaped to serve the demands
of capitalism. This is more than mere co-option of policy; Foster identifies how the
fundamental anxieties precipitated by rapid socio-economic change are weaponised to
serve the structural necessities of neoliberalism. I particularly appreciate Foster’s focus
on the constitutive power of capitalism, which echoes with Thompson’s work. As Foster
succinctly frames it, ‘changing socioeconomic circumstances can cause radical shifts in
culture and moral values’ (p. 83); as such Foster demands that Critical Theory must push
for systemic economic change.
Chapter Five is Lynn S Chancer’s, ‘Feminism, Humanism and Erich Fromm’. At first
glance, Fromm’s normative humanism may not seem an obvious resource to aid feminist
scholarship. Yet, as Chancer expertly presents, Fromm’s account is surprisingly com-
plementary to contemporary gender-theoretical insights. Chancer’s chapter starts with
the well-trodden discussion of Fromm’s gendered language, which is presented as being
not merely reducible to the German use of ‘mann’. However, the chapter quickly devel-
ops to cover new and original territory, the central argument being that Fromm’s huma-
nistic approach is worth serious consideration by feminist scholarship and must not be
4 European Journal of Social Theory XX(X)

discarded in the light of the oft-repeated criticism of its supposed essentialism. As

Chancer convincingly argues, Fromm’s humanism can be productively paired with
feminist scholarship and, upon closer examination, is far from gender-essentialist. Ulti-
mately, Fromm is presented as a crucial resource for furthering feminist scholarship,
primarily due to his formation of a psychoanalysis which is sensitive to the gendered
reality of power relationships.
The final chapter in part two is Michael Maccoby and Neil McLaughlin’s, ‘Socio-
psychoanalysis and Radical Humanism: A Fromm-Bourdieu Synthesis’. This excellent
chapter engages with similarities between Bourdieu’s account of habitus and Fromm’s
account of social character. As the co-authors convincingly argue, Fromm’s approach
optimally complements Bourdieu’s theoretical weaknesses. Maccoby is a particularly
authoritative figure as he was intimately involved with Fromm’s work during the 1960s
and was a co-author of Social Character in a Mexican Village. As the co-authors explore,
beyond the theoretical commonalities between Fromm’s account of ‘social character’
and Bourdieu’s ‘habitus’, the conditions of their genesis share startling similarities.
Fromm’s was borne out of primary research in Mexico, while Bourdieu’s was borne out
of primary research in Algeria; such similarities are fascinatingly explored in detail. The
central argumentative thrust of the chapter is that Fromm’s account is advantageous in
that it is able to capture psychoanalytic aspects as it ‘emphasises the emotional power of
unconscious motivations’ (p. 122). The co-authors conclude that there is plenty of scope
for a productive synthesis of habitus and social character, which might offer ‘a way into
understanding the appeal of Trumpism’ (pp. 124–125).
Part Three of the volume, ‘Authoritarianism, Fascism and the Contested Future’,
starts with a distinct historical inflection. Chapter Seven, David Norman Smith’s,
‘Anti-Authoritarian Marxism: Erich Fromm, Hilde Weiss, and the Politics of Radical
Humanism’, is an immensely detailed study of the development of Fromm’s anti-
authoritarian Marxism which is richly contextualised and extensively referenced. The
chapter thus serves to humanise Fromm more than other chapters which focus more on
the content of his thought. Smith draws out the nature of Fromm’s disagreement with key
dramatic personae, especially György Lukács, and also identifies the central, and under-
appreciated, role of Hilde Weiss to Fromm’s work, and to the Frankfurt School more
broadly. I must admit, I have not previously engaged with Weiss’ scholarship, and
Smith’s brief intellectual–biographical sketch of her is fascinating and a real contribution
to Fromm scholarship and hopefully prescient of further research into Weiss as a scholar
and activist in her own right.
While Maccoby and MacLaughlin’s chapter produced a fascinating and productive
dialogue between Fromm and Bourdieu, in Chapter Eight, ‘Escape from Reflexivity:
Fromm and Giddens on Individualism, Anxiety and Authoritarianism’, Charles Thorpe
productively brings Fromm into conversation with Anthony Giddens. This is yet another
exceptionally clear chapter in keeping with the high quality of scholarship consistent
across the volume. Fromm’s understanding of ‘positive freedom’ is contrasted with
Giddens’ framing of ‘reflexivity’. Thorpe convincingly argue that the ‘escape from
freedom’ towards authoritarianism identified by Fromm in the 1930s, ‘under contem-
porary conditions of late modernity . . . takes the form of an escape from reflexivity’
(p. 169). Thorpe thus builds to a Fromm-Giddens synthesis, with Fromm’s perspective
Book review 5

incorporating Gidden’s account of reflexivity and ontological insecurity. However,

unlike Giddens, Thorpe is clear that this insecurity must be located within capitalist
contradictions: the failure of the third way is a crucial factor in precipitating ontological
anxiety and the subsequent ascent of contemporary authoritarian leaders. Thorpe power-
fully argues that by connecting with simple messages: nationhood, ‘the wall’, the blanket
denial of climate change, populist leaders are able to provide this desired ontological
security. As such, Trumpism is powerfully presented as a refusal of reflexivity.
The penultimate contribution in the volume is Lauren Langman and George Lunds-
kow’s, ‘Social Character, Social Change, and the Social Future’. This essay provides a
compelling discussion on Fromm’s account of social character and details why it is such
a productive fusion of Marxism and psychoanalysis. The co-authors argue this contem-
porary moment demonstrates a conflict between progressive ‘life loving’ social character
and reactionary ‘authoritarian’ character. The positive conclusion of the chapter is that
the possibility of harnessing this more ‘productive character’ offers the potential to
‘provide the psychological basis of what Fromm called a “sane society”’ (p. 210).
The volume concludes with an essay by co-editor, Joan Braune, ‘Why anti-Fascism
needs Erich Fromm’s Critical Theory’. In keeping with Langman and Lundskow, Braune
argues it is imperative for social researchers to examine the social character of
Americans today to understand the rise of Trumpism and attendant fascist dispositions.
She notes that contemporary scholarship on fascism does not draw on Frankfurt School
scholarship, and poignantly notes that the far right ironically has a more powerful
memory of their anti-fascist endeavours, with their frequent indictments of ‘Cultural
Marxism’. Braune concludes the volume reasserting the powerful and convincing
message which resounds across the text: contemporary humanist, antifascist and Critical
Theoretical research would benefit immeasurably with a pronounced engagement with
Fromm’s work.
Durkin and Braune’s Erich Fromm’s Critical Theory: Hope, Humanism and the
Future is an exceptional collection of essays which succeed in demonstrating the power
of Fromm’s scholarship and the relevance of his conceptual apparatus for furthering
contemporary social research. This volume is an indispensable contribution to the
booming Fromm renaissance.

Neal Harris
Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
Email: nharris@brookes.ac.uk