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The author makes an attempt to compare and contrast the differences in the theoretical opinions about the earliest development of the human psyche as held in the three analytical centres, London, Vienna and Budapest. He maintains that the material upon which the three contradictory points of view are built is entirely the same, namely, the description of the infantile psyche as given by Freud in his paper on 'Female Sexuality.' Bálint presupposes that with that description scientists in London, Vienna and Budapest agree, as it contains all the facts and abstains from any theoretical explanation. In London, analysts would see in this description a corroboration of their own opinions. According to J. Riviere's paper, 'On the Genesis of Psychical Conflicts in Earliest Infancy' the most important assumptions underlying the English theories are the following: (1) The child is born in the condition of primary narcissism. (2) Sadistic and aggressive impulses appear very early; it remains undecided what proportion of these aggressive impulses originates in the primary death instinct and what proportion is due to hatred arising out of actions of the surrounding. But it is taken for granted that loving emotions make their appearance considerably later and are much weaker. (3) There is uncertainty, when and how reality sense begins to develop. (4) It is assumed that the perception of the primary experiences happens mainly by way of introjection and projection.
Here the criticism of the Vienna school starts. Wälder in his paper, 'The Problem of the Genesis of Psychical Conflicts in Earliest Infancy' doubts the ubiquity and intensity of oral-sadistic manifestations and therefore also the truth of the consequences which are won by a generalization of these so-called observations. He also criticizes the inexact use of the terms introjection and projection and the way in which in London phantasy and reality or rather external and psychical reality is described. He doubts