You do not currently have permission to view the full text for this document. Please sign in to an account with an active subscription or contact support.
The political and economic aspects of the Marxist ideology have been the victims of more confused and emotional thinking than any other theory of modern times—with the possible exception of psychoanalysis, its sister pioneer in time and essence. The psychological aspects have not shared this confusion to the same degree simply because they have received little attention, in spite of the fact that Marx considered the psychological implications basic to his philosophy. Vernon Venable, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Vassar College, presents in this book a concise analysis of the writings of Marx and Engels on the subject of human nature and integrates the psychological, political, economic, and sociological elements of the Marxist philosophy into a unified whole.
Marx defined human nature as “function in a field,” “variable in an interactive context.” He denied the primacy of the instincts of McDougall, et al, and of the “eternal trait” of Freud. “Man can be no more than what men actually do in their concrete historical and social environment.” His nature, then, is no more and no less than his behaviour. That his behaviour changes is clear. It follows, then, that his nature changes. It does not follow merely as an exercise in abstract logic—Marx rejected such theorizing and exercizing. The proof of this change he sought, and found, in the facts of the natural sciences and in the history of mankind.
What produces this change in human nature? Says Marx, “the decisive element is pre-eminently the production and reproduction of life and its material requirements.” No further mention is made in this book of the important effect of the need to propagate the species on human nature. Presumably, Freud was left to labor this point. Upon man's economic needs Marx proceeded to build his theory of dialectical, historical, and economic materialism. Labor, labor for need, the conscious, purposive, planned activity which differentiates human labor from primitive and animal labor,