An Essay on LiberationIn this concise and startling book, the author of One-Dimensional Man argues that the time for utopian speculation has come. Marcuse argues that the traditional conceptions of human freedom have been rendered obsolete by the development of advanced industrial society. Social theory can no longer content itself with repeating the formula, "from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs," but must now investigate the nature of human needs themselves. Marcuse's claim is that even if production were controlled and determined by the workers, society would still be repressive—unless the workers themselves had the needs and aspirations of free men. Ranging from philosophical anthropology to aesthetics An Essay on Liberation attempts to outline—in a highly speculative and tentative fashion—the new possibilities for human liberation. The Essay contains the following chapters: A Biological Foundation for Socialism?, The New Sensibility, Subverting Forces—in Transition, and Solidarity. |
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action advanced capitalism advanced capitalist countries aesthetic aggression alternative André Breton anti-art beautiful become biological capitalist class conflicts concept consciousness corporate capitalism critical theory Cuban revolution culture demands democracy democratic desublimated dimension domination dynamic economic emergence environment estab established society existing society exploitation false free society freedom function ghetto population goals historical human ideological imagination instinctual intelligentsia interest labor language law and order liberation libertarian linguistic universe litical majority Marxian mass basis mass media material matter means ment metropoles militant morality needs and satisfactions objective obscene organized political practice pop art possible prevailing productive forces protest radical change rational reality rebellion rebels reconstruction repressive revolution revolutionary sense of guilt sensibility sensuous social socialist society solidarity Soviet structure struggle student sublimated subversion technical Technocracy tion tional traditional transcends transformation transvaluation of values universe utopian values Vietnam violence virtue vital need