My essay will explore six aspects of the development of mass culture: 1) The ideological content of German popular literature at the turn of the century has its socio-historical roots in Germany's rapid modernization and industrialization and the social upheaval that accompanied it. 2) The same is true for the U.S.A., although the reasons for the social antimodernism ideologically prevalent in the popular literature of both countries during the period are slightly different. German antimodernism was largely determined by fear of descending the social ladder; specifically, -the petit-bourgeoisie with its ideal of selfsufficiency saw itself increasingly reduced to the level of the proletariat. American antimodernism, by contrast, stemmed less from fears oflosing social status than from an ideological or psychological insecurity in face of an increasingly rationalized culture. 3) In both countries popular literature of this period fulfills the socio-psychological function of ideologically supporting readers' interpretive schemes or identities. It does so by providing an imaginary realm in which "outmoded" norms and values are once again revitalized. 4) On the level of content this kind of literature reflects older forms of socialization tied to authority figures. 5) As an institution or medium, however, this literature already displays traits of a late-capitalist mass culture that feeds tendencies of secondary narcissism in the reader and support, accordingly, modes of socialization detached from persons interacting in a group. 6) Thus no analysis of popular literature aspiring to ideology critical and socially critical conclusions can be content with an examination ofliterature's