Background and Development of the Freud–Klein Controversies in the British Psycho-Analytical Society

This chapter will cover the background and history of the British Psycho-Analytical Society and the gradual development of controversy, up to the time when there was a demand to hold meetings to discuss the general disquiet and resentments of members. I aim to emphasize the immediate context out of which the various controversies ‘exploded’ and were no longer tolerated. At this point they were felt to endanger the future of the British Psycho-Analytical Society and of psychoanalysis in Britain itself. Overtly, controversy was mainly couched in terms of scientific differences of opinion about what was considered to be accepted psychoanalytical theory and technique, as formulated by Freud, and what view of it should be taught to students of psychoanalysis or included in public lectures by analysts representing the Society. Inevitably, these issues also masked deeper ones to do with who should decide these questions, and therefore, which individuals and groups held power in the Society.

The history of psychoanalysis in Great Britain is closely linked with Ernest Jones, the creator of the British Psycho-Analytical Society. He qualified in medicine with several gold medals in 1900, and was working extremely hard building the foundations of what promised to be a very successful conventional career as a consultant physician and neurologist, when he began to become interested in problems of psychopathology. It was at this point that he was introduced to