Critical Theory adopted Marxism’s substance while rejecting its orthodox economic-base form.

Evidence

From Horkheimer’s essay on Traditional and Critical Theory' of 1937 onwards, Critical Theory’ became the main label used by the theoreticians of the Horkheimer group to describe themselves. It was a camouflage label for `Marxist theory’; but, more than that, it expressed Horkeimer’s and his associates’ insistence on identifying themselves with the substance of Marxist theory as a principle and not in its orthodox form, a form obsessed with the critique of capitalist society as a system with an economic base and with a superstructure and ideology which were dependent on that base. This substance of Marxist theory consisted of the specific criticism of alienated and alienating social conditions. — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School, 18

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines what Critical Theory meant as a label: Marxist substance without orthodox economic determinism.
• XREF: Connects to the enduring secondary literature debating what Critical Theory is versus orthodox Marxism. — connects to: Wright retained Marxism as method while rejecting it as ideology — Cedric J. Robinson, Black Marxism_ The Making of the Black…, 1421; The name ‘critical theory’ actually distanced Horkheimer from explicit Marxism. — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School: Its History,…, 756; Hayek and Röpke explicitly rejected economism and economic reductionism. — Jessica Whyte, The Morals of the Market: Human Rights…, 20 (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• Wright retained Marxism as method while rejecting it as ideology #corroborates (0.82) — Cedric J. Robinson, Black Marxism_ The Making of the Black…, 1421