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.
This important paper by Fenichel may be roughly divided into two parts. The first is devoted to a condensed and systematic psychoanalytic frame of reference as a basis for understanding the psychological aspects of social, political and economic trends and institutions. In the second part Fenichel critically evaluates Fromm's theses and findings with reference to the preceding outline.
Fenichel's approach is based on the fact that there is a dynamic interplay of forces between the individual and his culture. He stresses the dependence of self-esteem on external rewards and punishments, and the transition from external influences to the internalized superego which is itself further influenced by external authority and social pressures. Fenichel points out the importance of the hope of reparticipation in projected omnipotence and indicates how this striving has been manipulated by many social institutions, religions and governments. He believes that satisfactions and frustrations—particularly the way in which children are directed to react to these satisfactions and frustrations—are the two main sources of institutionalized character formation.
Fenichel is of the opinion that all these premises may be developed from the basic concepts of Freud's Libido Theory. It is true that in his writings Freud did stress the biological factors and did write relatively little about political and economic institutions, but by no means did Freud every deny their significance as an important element in the personal history.
Fenichel feels that Fromm, in attempting to reëvaluate the importance of sociological factors, distorts the significance of the biological factors. Fromm denies the genetic derivatives of the partial instincts and minimizes the significance of satisfactions and frustrations. He considers character and attitudes purely as adaptation phenomenon against loneliness and fails to realize that character and attitudes may be subservient to instinctual gratifications o