''Marx's Concept of Man'' is a 1961 book about Karl Marx's theory of human nature by the psychoanalyst Erich Fromm. The work sold widely thanks to the popularity of Marx's early writings, which was a product of the

existentialism Existentialism ( ) is a form of philosophical inquiry that explores the problem of human existence and centers on human thinking, feeling, and acting. Existentialist thinkers frequently explore issues related to the meaning, purpose, and valu ...

of the 1940s.

Summary

In Marx's Concept of Man, Erich Fromm provides a detailed analysis of Karl Marx's ideas about human nature and how those ideas informed his economic and political theories. Fromm shows how Marx's conception of man as a "species-being" who is fundamentally social and cooperative, rather than selfish and individualistic, shaped his vision of a society based on economic justice and equality. Fromm also critiques Marx's idea that religion is the "opiate of the people," arguing that it is actually an expression of man's alienation from himself and from others. Fromm concludes that Marx's greatest contribution was his recognition of the human need for self-actualization, which can only be met through social relationships based on love and solidarity. Fromm provides selections from several of Marx's works. He also praises ''

Reason and Revolution ''Reason and Revolution: Hegel and the Rise of Social Theory'' (1941; second edition 1954) is a book by the philosopher Herbert Marcuse, in which the author discusses the social theories of the philosophers Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel and Kar ...

'' (1941), one of Herbert Marcuse's books on

Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (; ; 27 August 1770 – 14 November 1831) was a German philosopher. He is one of the most important figures in German idealism and one of the founding figures of modern Western philosophy. His influence extends ...

and Raya Dunayevskaya's '' Marxism and Freedom: From 1776 Until Today'' (1958). Fromm briefly discusses the Marxist philosopher

György Lukács György Lukács (born György Bernát Löwinger; hu, szegedi Lukács György Bernát; german: Georg Bernard Baron Lukács von Szegedin; 13 April 1885 – 4 June 1971) was a Hungarian Marxist philosopher, literary historian, critic, and aesth ...

, noting that in '' History and Class Consciousness'' (1923) Lukács viewed Marx as an "eschatological thinker."

Reception

''Marx's Concept of Man'' sold widely because the 1940s fashion for existentialism made Marx's early writings popular, according to the political scientist David McLellan, who considered Fromm's work a typical example of the favorable reception of the young Marx. Alexander Welsh reviewed ''Marx's Concept of Man'' in ''

The New Republic ''The New Republic'' is an American magazine of commentary on politics, contemporary culture, and the arts. Founded in 1914 by several leaders of the progressive movement, it attempted to find a balance between "a liberalism centered in hu ...

''. The philosopher Hazel Barnes compared Fromm's view of Marx and

Marxism Marxism is a left-wing to far-left method of socioeconomic analysis that uses a materialist interpretation of historical development, better known as historical materialism, to understand class relations and social conflict and a dialectical ...

to that of the philosopher

Jean-Paul Sartre Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre (, ; ; 21 June 1905 – 15 April 1980) was one of the key figures in the philosophy of existentialism (and phenomenology), a French playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and lit ...

. Rainer Funk wrote that the ''

Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844 The ''Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844'' (german: Ökonomisch-philosophische Manuskripte aus dem Jahre 1844), also referred to as the ''Paris Manuscripts'' (') or as the ''1844 Manuscripts'', are a series of notes written between Apri ...

'' were published for the first time in English in Fromm's work, the translation by Bottomore having been done at Fromm's suggestion.

References

Bibliography

;Books * * * * * * ;Journals * 1961 non-fiction books American non-fiction books English-language books Books about Marxism Works by Erich Fromm {{philosophy-book-stub