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The author states his purpose in the opening paragraph. He claims that the Marxian outlook does not exclude subjective qualities from consideration. One of the main theses of the book is that thus far Marxists have largely neglected important subjective factors. It seems that unforeseen world developments have aroused the author to a feeling of certain defects in Marxian method, if not theory. He therefore tries to incurporate
some of the material of psychoanalysis into the Marxian outlook. As he states, this is contrary to what he finds in Marxist circles as a “tendency to regard the theories of Freud as an expression of capitalist cultural decadence.” He believes this is “often the fate of scientific theory to be perverted in use.” One of the reasons for his interest in psychology is how “to get the workers feeling and thinking in terms of revolutionary activity.”
The author highly estimates (with certain reservations) the scientific contributions of Freud and psychoanalysis. After giving the scope of his inquiry he gives a summary of the main findings of psychoanalysis as found mainly in The Introductory Lectures, New Introductory Lectures, and Totem and Taboo. These are clearly given often with quotations from the text. Where he inserts opinions of his own, the author immediately shows lack of real acquaintancy with psychoanalytic findings. He feels that the results of analysis are really obtained by “confidence reposed in the analyst.”
Although the author states that the Marxian view does not exclude consideration of other than the economic factor it is readily apparent that he feels that all other factors are subsidiary to the economic one. For social problems that Freud mentions, the author is apt in finding the solutions in the Marxian outlook. This in spite of the fact that the author admits that the fundamental Marxian program itself is seriously wanting in actual achievement. This is not necessarily inconsistent but an indication of the hot zeal and ideal