Political caution made Adorno abandon his planned critique of the Godesberg Programme.

Evidence

Adorno had for some time planned to write a critique of the Godesberg Programme, and to get it published in the Kursbuch edited by Hans Magnus Enzensberger, who was enthusiastic about the idea. A fear of providing grist to the mill of `those undermining democracy, which has been seriously shaken’, made Adorno shy away before the plan could be carried through, however. — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School, 2523

Categorization

• QUESTION: The irony that fear of aiding right-wing reaction suppressed Adorno’s own left critique is worth pondering — the paralysis of the Frankfurt School’s political engagement.
• XREF: connects to: Adorno shelved his Godesberg critique fearing it would aid democracy’s enemies — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School: Its History,…, 2523