Political Science ETDs

Publication Date

10-20-1969

Abstract

A radical socialist who advocates revolutionary change on a world-wide basis, Herbert Marcuse is one of the more controversial political theorists of our time. His synthesis of the theories of Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud which he calls his critical theory of society is a peculiar class analysis of technically advanced industrial societies. Despite his numerous publications, his indictment of advanced industrial societies, both capitalist and communist, as totalitarian systems, and his appeal to such radical groups as the New Left, Herbert Marcuse’s theory has never been analyzed for its internal consistency. Because of the controversial nature of his political theory and his influence over such militant groups as the German Socialistischer Deutscher Studentenbund (SDS) and the Students for Democratic Society in America, I have undertaken the task for examining the internal consistency of his theory. In view of the comprehensive nature of Marcuse’s theorizing, it has been necessary to focus this analysis on Marcuse’s most fundamental concepts—his conception of man and society. Marcuse’s presupposition on the nature of man and society have been examined in order to determine whether his propositions on the way man “is” and “ought” to be governed logically follow. Given his presumptions concerning the nature of man and society, his description of man and society today, and his propositions concerning what man and society can be and ought to be, it has been found that Marcuse’s theory is internally consistent. Although his theory is internally consistent Marcuse does, however, create for himself a number of logical problems. Marcuse turns his Freudian myth, his mythical prehistory of man, into reality. He maintains a paradoxical position in that he is both cynical and idealistic. He makes absolute assertions (i.e., the generals, politicians, and managers rule in the advanced industrial societies) which he is unable to empirically validate. An important correlation to the conclusions reached in this paper is that Marcuse, although professing to be a democrat, advocates an anti-democratic state, an “educational transitional dictatorship,” as a means of attaining what he considers to be true democracy, political and economical equality.

Degree Name

Political Science

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

Political Science

First Committee Member (Chair)

Harold V. Rhodes

Second Committee Member

Illegible

Third Committee Member

Harley Dan Holt

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

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