Frankfurt School or Institute for Social Research
Radical: Theodor W. Adorno 1903 – 1969
Radical: Max Horkheimer 1895 – 1973
Radical: Jurgen Habermas 1929
Radical: Erich Fromm 1900 - 1980
Radical: Franz Neumann 1900-1954
Radical: Karl Wittfogel 1896-1988
Radical: Herbert Marcuse 1898-1979
Radical: Siegried Kracauer 1926-1966
The Frankfurt school of Germany is an extremely important part of the machine. Marxism was exclusively a European ideology which spread as a reaction to struggling economic conditions in Europe during the end of the Industrial Revolution. Capitalism had replaced Feudalism In many countries. With the injustices of Feudalism, capitalism created similar fears as well.
Feudalism’s classes were based on land ownership and those that served in war for lords to receive land in return. Capitalism’s classes were built on the successes of Entrepreneurs. There was still a transition that allowed a similar society to exist from feudal land owners having a capitalistic advantage. The lords simply became the bourgeoisie and the vassals became the workers.
America never experienced much of this animosity because its system was built in retaliation to England’s usurpation and taxation without representation. Most Americans were the working class as the English were the Bourgeoisie. America’s uniqueness in this respect allowed them to accept capitalism in its truest form and succeed immediately. With a slight depression from the fiscal issues related to the Revolutionary War, Americans learned about struggles first hand as soon as independence was realized and the nature to persevere was born.
Where the Frankfort School ties in is the introduction of Marxism to America. Prior to the Frankfort School’s efforts, America only saw the image of Communism or Marxism from the atrocities that Stalin and Lenin had implemented in the name of unionism or collectivism. The methods to achieve Marxism were never realized. The overseas view was of a dictator taking over with armies but not the participation of the population in reaction to propaganda. This is where Frankfurt School ideologues saw the opportunity to change America to there Utopian dream. America was a capitalistic social culture to get Communism right after it had gone so wrong in the Soviet Union.
Max Horkeimer recruited many Marxists in 1930 including Theodor W. Adorno, Erich Fromm, Hebert Marcuse, and Walter Benjamin who all worked together to develop the “Critical Theory of Society”. This theory was expanding on the social structure of Marx and Engles. They studied Marxist theory, Freudian theory, Culture theory, Aesthetic Modernism, and Weberian theory. They would later incorporate the theories of Jurgen Habermas who resolved many of the contradictions between the transcendental methods and materialist methods, individualist theory and Marxist theory, technological and social rationalization.
As this philosophy flourished, The Wiemar republic began to fall. As the Nazi’s began to take hold of Germany, many of the Marxists left Germany and sought refuge in the United States. Slowly but surely they plugged themselves into the American University system.
Erich Fromm: 1934 - Columbia University, 1957 - Michigan State University
Theodor Adorno: 1939 – Columbia University, 1941 – University of California
Max Horkheimer: 1941 - University of California
Franz Neumann: 1948 – Columbia University
Karl Wittfogel: 1939 – Columbia University, 1947 – University of Washington
Herbert Marcuse: 1952 – Columbia University, Harvard University, Brandeis University, University of California
Siegried Kracauer: 1966 – Columbia University
The theories of these radical Marxists would influence thousands of American students. Groups like the New Left and Students for Democracy Society would form from teachings of these men. Once the seeds were planted here in the States, It was just a matter of time until the machine would be completed in the States.
