Sexuality: Michael Bálint. 'Zur Kritik der Lehre von den prägenitalen Libido-organisationen.' Internationale Zeitschrift für Psychoanalyse, 1935, Bd. XXI, S. 525.

In this paper Bálint attacks the whole of that trend in modern psycho-analytic theory which is based upon the scheme put forward by Abraham in his essay on the development of the libido. He argues that difficulties, theoretical and technical, arise out of adherence to this scheme. He does not, of course, dispute the existence of the so-called oral, anal, phallic, etc., partial impulses, the clinical evidence for which is beyond dispute, but explains these as artefacts brought about by factors in the environment, particularly educational, and not as biologically grounded developmental stages. He contends that this is borne out by the fact that in practice we analyse and dissolve symptoms arising from these pregenital impulses.

He contends that we have been wrong in regarding the development of the genital function and that of object-relations as two aspects of the same process. He considers that the two processes, although much bound up with each other, are yet separate. We have confused object-relations with modes of gratification. He argues that if we accept a separate development of love and choose as a starting-point the passive object-love