To Have Or To Be?

In this concise intellectual memoir, Erich Fromm reflects on his lifelong engagement with the thought of Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud, two figures who profoundly shaped his work. A psychoanalyst and social philosopher associated with the Frankfurt School, Fromm seeks to move beyond rigid orthodoxies and ideological distortions, recovering what he sees as the humanist core in both thinkers. He explores themes of alienation, freedom, authority, and the nature of human needs, arguing that a critical, humane synthesis of Marx and Freud offers insight into modern society’s psychological and social crises. Clear and accessible, this book will interest readers of social theory, psychology, and political philosophy.