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"THE PRODUCTION OF DESIRE", (RICHARD LICHTMAN).
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Critical review of author's views on compatibility & possible integration of Marx's dialectism & Freud's psychoanalytic theory.... More...
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Paper Abstract:
Critical review of author's views on compatibility & possible integration of Marx's dialectism & Freud's psychoanalytic theory.
Paper Introduction:
This research will describe the frameworks of Karl Marx's dialecticism and Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory. The paper will determine whether these theories are compatible with one another, and will define the areas in which the two conflict. Furthermore, the research will discuss the concept of integration, in terms of whether or not the theories of Marx and Freud can be successfully integrated.
Richard Lichtman, author of The Production of Desire: The Integration of Psychoanalysis into Marxist Theory, states early in his book that the theories of Marx and Freud are incompatible (Lichtman, 1982, p. ix). Both possess certain deficiencies in their attempts to explain society and human interaction. Lichtman indicates that Marxist theory is the stronger of the two, yet "working through the limitations of Freud's view makes its very
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224). 21). However, Marxist theory, which seeks to understand the social process, hasfailed by overlooking the vital impact of the unconscious processesdescribed by Freud. ReferencesFreud, S. 2). 19). (1949, 1969). 8). Lichtman also criticizes Marx for adopting the point of view that "thepower of alienation defeats itself through the cunning of material reason"(p. 3). In Marx's framework, concern with individuals existsonly in regard to their place in society: "the smallest intelligible unitof social explanation is human beings in specific social relationstransforming the natural environment through historically determinatetechnology" (Lichtman, 1982, p. According to Lichtman, these faults in Marxist theory would besomewhat overcome through an integration of Freud's understanding of theunconscious. As such,"immediate and unheeding satisfaction of the instincts, such as the iddemands, would often lead to perilous conflict with the external world andto extinction" (Freud, 1949, p. In this regard, Freud notes that theid, on the unconscious level, does not interact with the outer world; it isconcerned with seeking desires from an instinctual need. This process may not be as difficult as some may imagine,since, as Lichtman states, the relationship between the repressedunconscious in Freud and the structural unconscious in Marx aredialectical, and "each determines and defines the other" (Lichtman, 1982,p. 188). However, the question still exists as to whether or not the twosystems are even compatible enough to be successfully integrated in thisway. On a larger scale,whole factions may be dominated by certain instinctual drives which mayhave truly profound effects on social development. Freud agrees with this perspective, calling religiona fantasy that attempts to relieve "the terror of nature" (Lichtman, 1982,p. Lichtmanfurther notes the importance of Freudian theory in clarifying the processesof alienation, which is a vital aspect of Marxist social theory (Lichtman,1982, p. . Marx's dialectic approach, which is based on the ideas of thephilosopher Hegel, takes into account the processes of history being suchthat any idea of thesis eventually leads to the creation of an oppositeidea or antithesis, which eventually merges with the first idea, therebycreating a synthesis which becomes a new thesis. It is quite evident that an integration of these twotheories would be significant by bringing about a new synthesis for dealingwith the overall problem of the human condition and its place in thebroader social network. By thus integrating a reinterpreted view of Freudiantheory into the Marxist social and economic scheme, a type of Marxistpsychology can be developed. The paper willdetermine whether these theories are compatible with one another, and willdefine the areas in which the two conflict. by J.Strachey. 1). 1 ). 2 ). 88). Lichtman also notes that both Marx and Freud believed that peopleare driven by forces beyond their control, and even beyond their rationalcomprehension (Lichtman, 1982, p. The aspects of Freud's psychoanalytical theory which would be themost adaptable to Marxism are those that pertain to the individual'sinteraction with the external world. 55). Even when it takes intoaccount the interaction of the individual with the external world, Freud'sprimary concern is still with the actions and reactions of the individualand certainly not with ways that psychoanalysis can be tied in with socialtheory. Marx, regardingreligion as the opiate of the masses regarded the need for this institutionas a human illusion. It is Lichtman'sbelief that Freud may be interpreted in terms of society, rather thansimply the individual, and thereby become a part of the social theory ofMarxism. New York: Free Press.----------------------- 1 (1982). At the same time, Lichtman notes that there are many ways in whichthe two systems are antagonistic to one another. Both possess certain deficiencies in their attempts to explainsociety and human interaction. At the same time, however, the psychoanalytic theory of Freud needsto be broadened into a larger theory of social interaction in order to beof any use in the concerns that are embraced by Marxism. Lichtman details a numberof ways in which the two theories oppose one another, yet the primarydistinction can perhaps be seen in the fact that Freud regarded opposingforces in the individual and within society as a form of conflict; whereasMarx, with his dialectical approach, regarded such forces as "necessaryaspects of a larger configuration which renders them partial and temporary"(Lichtman, 1982, p. 11). The distinctions between Marxist dialectic and Freudianpsychoanalysis become more clear with a comparison of the basic frameworksof the two systems. An Outline of Psycho-Analysis. The second is theego, which Freud states "acts as an intermediary between the id and theexternal world" (p. Furthermore, Marxism and Freudianism are seen to convergewith similar ideas regarding "alienation" and "exploitation" (Lichtman,1982, pp. 5). Thisis an obvious inadequacy in Freud's theory which makes it unsuitable in andof itself as a system for social theory, and which makes it most stronglycontrast to the theory of Marxist dialectism. As Lichtmannoted in his Introduction, the best course for reconciliation of the twotheoretical frameworks would exist in the merging of psychoanalysis intoMarxism. Thus, a process for integrating Marx and Freud is clearly anecessity. The Production of Desire: The Integration ofPsychoanalysis into Marxist Theory. In this regard, it canbe seen that Freud's psychoanalysis represents "a crucial dimension ofsocial life, because the ensemble of public-private relations thatconstitute the structure of the social world is also constituted out ofdiverse levels of mental organization" (Lichtman, 1982, p. Richard Lichtman, author of The Production of Desire: TheIntegration of Psychoanalysis into Marxist Theory, states early in his bookthat the theories of Marx and Freud are incompatible (Lichtman, 1982, p.ix). Lichtman approaches this question in depth, first considering thesimilarities and the differences that exist between the two frameworks.Lichtman notes that Marx and Freud converge in a number of ways. Although Freud noted in histheory that the human personality is designed with certain functions thatenable it to interact with the external world, nevertheless, he wasprimarily concerned with solving problems related to the functions of thehuman personality stemming from the inner world of the unconscious. In this regard, the ego exists in order toconfront the outer world through the senses and then operate in a mannerthat enables the human psyche to deal with the world. W. As it stands, thepsychoanalytic theory centers on the improvement of the personal, orindividual condition. Freud then goes on to describe thepsychical apparatus that makes up the psyche of each human individual. 214). Freud's theoryfulfills the missing side of Marx's dialectism in that "Freud maintainedthat there was more to suffering in the human condition than could beaccounted for by the irrationality of external, economic life" (Lichtman,1982, p. Marx was concerned with the idea of classstruggle in society and felt that workers of his time should rebel and leadin the creation of a classless society, which he considered to be the idealhuman relationship. New York: W. Essentially, then, both Freudian and Marxist theory contain faultswhich are fulfilled in certain ways by the opposing theory. The third primarypart of the psyche is what Freud calls the super-ego, which he defines asthe receptacle of all of the parental influences that the individualacquired in the course of maturing (p. If it could be expanded to incorporate more in theway of Marxist ideals, it would then be in a position to be of service tothe larger organism of society. Norton.Lichtman, R. but by thetendencies, hidden to the agents themselves, which reproduce the deepestaspects of character necessary to the continued maintenance of the socialsystem" (Lichtman, 1982, p. The framework of Marxism is stronger and contains fewerinconsistencies; however, Freud's contribution of the theory behind therepressed unconscious is a necessary addition. 64). Both thinkers realized that peoplehave a false impression that they are actually in control of these forces,yet they are not as appearances are not the same as reality (Lichtman,1982, p. In the framework of the psychoanalytic system, Freud first definedhis territory as the psyche, or "mental life," which he described asexisting of two primary components, the brain, or nervous system, andconsciousness (Freud, 1949, p. It is essential to account for the impact ofinstinctual demands made on the human psyche and the effect that they mayhave in the individual's interaction with society. Perhaps a key to theintegration of Marxist and Freudian theory can be derived fromunderstanding the opposite frameworks of the two systems. 2). Both approachesare concerned with finding improvement in the world, and their oppositenature enables each to fill the inherent gaps of the other: "Marxismunderstood the irrationality, wastefulness, violence and self-destructionof the external social system. Freud promised an understanding of how thisprocess had become deeply rooted in the psyche of men and women" (Lichtman,1982, p. Therefore, inFreud's framework, the ego is the intermediary between the individual'sinner psyche and the other world of society. Furthermore, the research willdiscuss the concept of integration, in terms of whether or not the theoriesof Marx and Freud can be successfully integrated. This research will describe the frameworks of Karl Marx'sdialecticism and Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory. It can be seen, of course, thatFreud was solely concerned with the individual, inner processes, and hecannot be wholly criticized for failing to account for social interactions. Freud proceeds by breaking down the instincts of the id into thecategories of eros (the love instinct, or the instinct for self-preservation), and the death instinct (the instinct for self-destruction)(Freud, 1949, p. Thus, the lack in Freud's theory thatcontrasts with Marxism is seen in the fact that "for Marx, as opposed toFreud, individuals are derivatives of the social system rather than primaryelements from which the system is itself constructed" (Lichtman, 1982, p.7). Among these failures are its inconsistencies indefinition and its seeming retreat from the external world through emphasison the importance of inner processes. In developing the framework for his dialectism, Marx took an oppositeapproach, emphasizing the effects of social structures and neglecting theinfluence of individuals, particularly in terms of unconscious impulses andthe like. The ego, on the other hand, serves tointeract with the external world and thus functions to raise the instinctsof the id "to a higher dynamic level" (Freud, 1949, p. Marx deals only with social and economicrealities, and largely overlooks the role of the individual in society,whereas Freud does the opposite. 56). . Such a development would truly be significantin that it would upgrade and enhance the system of Marxism, which haspreviously taken a somewhat shallow view of human interaction. ix-x). In this theory of psychoanalysis, Freud also placedgreat importance on both sexual development and dream interpretation asmeans for the understanding of a particular individual's personality.Freud further noted that there are three possible qualities for psychicalprocesses, which he described as conscious, preconscious, and unconscious.In this framework, Freud stated that the ego works on the level of thepreconscious, and the id works on the level of the unconscious (Freud,1949, p. Thefirst of these is the id, which represents the inherited elements ofconsciousness, such as instinct (Freud, 1949, p. Lichtman feels that Marxist ideology would be improved by theintegration of Freud's ideas. In this sense, Freud's theory of psychoanalysis could be usedto broaden the scope and outlook of Marxist dialectic. 252). By overlooking the impact of unconscious urges, Marxismtakes a step back from reaching a solution to the problems that it isconcerned with, "for in severing the connection between underlyingstructure and lived experience the dialectical tension that constitutessocial alienation becomes unintelligible, and the possibility of overcomingthe estrangement of social life is further removed from realization"(Lichtman, 1982, p. The two systems do conflict, yet their opposing natures can alsobe viewed as complementary in many respects. Forinstance, both systems regard religion as a human failure. Furthermore, Lichtman criticizes Marx fortaking too much of an optimistic point of view, and overlooking thenegative possibilities inherent in individual behavior (Lichtman, 1982, p.3). Integration, in the sense discussed by Lichtman,means an incorporation of psychoanalytic theory into the framework ofMarxist ideology. Freud's psychoanalytic theory, for instance, isplainly structured on concerns for the individual. A new synthesis may becreated from the best of both systems which would account for both theprocesses of social evolution and also the role of the individual psychewithin those processes. Lichtman indicates that Marxist theory isthe stronger of the two, yet "working through the limitations of Freud'sview makes its very significant insights available for incorporation intoan expanded Marxist theory" (Lichtman, 1982, pp. Trans. In the words of Lichtman, "social structures aresustained not merely by the rules of the social system . 4 ). Lichtman states that thefailure to include the force of repressed unconscious into Marxism is oneof its primary defects. Marx's theories, which led to the development of thepolitical/economic systems of socialism and communism, were based on therelationship that he perceived to have existed between economics andsocieties throughout history. 22). As discussed by Lichtman, Freud's theory of psychoanalysis hasnumerous faults of its own which make it unsuitable as a system for socialtheory in its own right. 26-7).
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