Hoffmann reviews the current state of theoretical discussion on the ego's energy supply and tires to demonstrate that the discussion tends toward the assumption of a primary neutral energy rather than neutralized drive energy. White's conceptualization has the advantage of being simpler and empirically better grounded than Hartmann's assumptions and of filling an old gap in psychoanalytic theory. White's ego psychology assumes drive-unrelated ego achievements. Further, it agrees well with extrapsychoanalytic developmental psychology. It employs a concept of pleasure in effectuance (or functional pleasure) which aims at the attainment of competence in relation to the environment. A revision of psychoanalytic concepts, such as identification, ego strength, narcissism and anxiety, follows from this.