Marcuse in 1947 required denunciation of communism be merely theoretical and subordinate
Evidence
The Communist Parties are, and will remain, the sole anti-fascist power. Denunciation of them must be purely theoretical. Such denunciation is conscious of the fact that the realization of the theory is only possible through the Communist Parties, and requires the assistance of the Soviet Union. This awareness must be contained in each of its words. Further: in each of its words, the denunciation of neo-fascism and Social Democracy must outweigh denunciation of Communist policy. The bourgeois freedom of democracy is better than totalitarian regimentation, but it has literally been bought at the price of decades of prolonged exploitation and by the obstruction of socialist freedom. — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School, 1674
Categorization
Category: Contrarian or Surprising Claims
- XREF: This pragmatic pro-Soviet fidelity contrasts sharply with the later One-Dimensional Man Marcuse — a striking reversal in his trajectory.
Related
- Marcuse demanded revolutionary theory oppose both neo-fascism and Soviet communism equally (similarity 0.84)
- Adorno’s earlier anti-fascist position demanded denunciation of Communist policy remain purely theoretical (similarity 0.80)
- Marcuse saw postwar Europe splitting into neo-fascist and Soviet blocs as a capitalist reorganization. (similarity 0.80)
- Students looked to Marcuse for a concrete utopia he would not supply. (similarity 0.79)
- Marcuse alone delivered a theoretical-orientation draft for the journal revival in early 1947 (similarity 0.79)
- Marcuse rejected gradualist two-phase Marxism for a leap directly into socialism (similarity 0.79)
- Marcuse rejected students as the revolutionary subject despite championing them. (similarity 0.79)
- For Marcuse, Vietnam symbolized whether fundamental rebellion could defeat modern technical repression (similarity 0.79)
- Marcuse considered theory the highest form of praxis (similarity 0.78)
- Marcuse’s One-Dimensional Man diagnosed disaster while holding out hope for qualitative change (similarity 0.78)