Erich Fromm and the Quest for Solidarity

About the Author LAWRENCE WILDE is Professor of Political Theory at Nottingham Trent University, UK. A graduate of the University of Liverpool, he is the author of Marx and Contradiction (1989), Modern European Socialism (1994), and Ethical Marxism and its Radical Critics (1998). He is also the editor of Marxism's Ethical Thinkers (2001). Product Description Erich Fromm and the Quest for Solidarity argues that Fromm's humanistic ethics provides a framework for the analysis of alienation in affluent societies and his exploration of the social forces capable of challenging that alienation. It examines his work on authoritarianism, the experience of work, the struggle against patriarchy, the dangers of consumerism and the manipulation of needs, the urgent need to revive democracy, and the challenge of the emerging 'one world'. Never losing sight of the ancient dream of human solidarity, Fromm's explicitly ethical approach exerts a compelling relevance to a range of issues in contemporary social and political theory. Review "Lawrence Wilde has provided us with a work that can only build our appreciation for the legacy of Erich Fromm. Anyone concerned with the theory of radical humanism and the possibilities of solidarity should read this exceptionally well researched and clearly written intellectual biography. It has much to teach about one of the most important and under-rated thinkers of our time." - Stephen Eric Bronner, Rutgers University"Erich Fromm's radical humanism, rooted in psychoanalysis, Marxism, and religious thought, remains one of the twentieth century's most cogent critiques of modernity. In his comprehensive new study, Lawrence Wilde offers us a well-documented critical analysis of Fromm's thought in light of contemporary concerns. In so doing, he focuses on core philosophical and political issues such as freedom vs. authoritarianism, humanism vs. anti-humanism, creativity vs. alienation, and patriarchy vs. gender emancipation." - Kevin B. Anderson, Purdue University From the Back Cover "Lawrence Wilde has provided us with a work that can only build our appreciation for the legacy of Erich Fromm. Anyone concerned with the theory of radical humanism and the possibilities of solidarity should read this exceptionally well researched and clearly written intellectual biography. It has much to teach about one of the most important and under-rated thinkers of our time." -- Stephen Eric Bronner, Professor of Political Science, Rutgers University "Erich Fromm's radical humanism, rooted in psychoanalysis, Marxism, and religious thought, remains one of the twentieth century's most cogent critiques of modernity. In his comprehensive new study, Lawrence Wilde offers us a well-documented critical analysis of Fromm's thought in light of contemporary concerns. In so doing, he focuses on core philosophical and political issues such as freedom vs. authoritarianism, humanism vs. anti-humanism, creativity vs. alienation, and patriarchy vs. gender emancipation." --Kevin B. Anderson, Purdue University