A psychology-informed progressivism v1.0: socialist humanism

Abstract

This chapter discusses the development of the socialist humanist tradition: an international movement that advocated a humanistic psychological reading of Karl Marx’s work. In doing so, this chapter shows the depth, richness, and complexity of analysis that can be achieved by integrating humanistic psychology into a progressive political base, and provides a means of introducing several of the key principles for the present book. A discussion of the limitations of socialist humanism also helps to identify some of the challenges that a psychology-informed progressivism needs to overcome. The chapter begins by discussing the background for the development of socialist humanism: a reaction to totalitarian, dogmatic interpretations of Marx. It then introduces the model of human being that the socialist humanists developed – as agentic, in-the-world, and directional – and how capitalism creates the conditions in which there is alienation from this basic nature. The creation of ‘false needs’ – as articulated by Erich Fromm, Herbert Marcuse, and the Frankfurt School – is then described, and how people can become blinded to this process through ‘false consciousness’. The chapter concludes with limitations of socialist humanism – that it can be elitist; and that it lacks a more in-depth, contemporary psychological understanding – which the present book strives to overcome.