H. Marcuse: The Critique as a Social Hope

Abstract

Frankfurt School aims to revive Marxism that sticks in between supporting the Weimer Republic and acknowledging the Bolshevik revolution as leader of the socialist actions. Critical Theory that developed for realizing this aim tries to re-establish the historical materialism. Horkheimer and Adorno’s essays result in pessimism about the social alterations. However, on the contrary, Marcuse seeks to exhibit the critique as social hope. This essay purposes to argue the philosophical basis of Marcuse’s hope about social alterations. Marcuse attributes his hope about social alterations to the freedom and the power of consciousness. Therefore he seeks a philosophical basis that introduces the freedom of consciousness. In this regard, even though he firstly tries to adapt Heidegger to Marx, returns to Hegel, namely the main origin of historical phenomenology. He claims that the freedom of consciousness has a secret power by reference to Hegel. According to him this power has suppressed during the history of civilization. He demonstrates that the emancipating power of consciousness has suppressed by reference to Freud. Thusly he achieves to adapting Freud's psychoanalysis to Marxism. Marcuse, who re-establishes the historical materialism with his interpretations about Hegel and Freud, acknowledges that the freedom of consciousness is origin of the critique. This essay aims to discuss what suggestions Marcuse has exhibited about the social alterations and what contents those suggestions have.