Unidirectional Existence And Beyond

Herbert Marcuse's humanistic thought is mainly reflected in his criticism to the morbid performance of developed industrial societies and the one-dimensionality existence of human being caused by technical control. Under the background of the reality of Capitalist societies and the historical development before and after the two World Wars, he reflected the crisis of the capitalist system and the strife on human caused by rampant fascism. He also reflected that the progress of modern science and technology, which bring about the potential threat to mankind. In the ideological roots, Marcuse's humanistic thought influenced by Heidegger's existence doctrine, young Marx's doctrine, the trend of thought in Western Marxism, Freudianism, and so on.In Marcuse's opinion, the developed industrial society is a one-dimensionality society which opposed by the all round development of human beings. It is a"sick society"in which people suffered depression and slavery. In such a society, negative forces lost gradually, however, definite thinking, represented by positivism, won the victory. Ration of science and technology and consumerism are rampant. The state of alienation of people became seriously. People therefore became one-dimensionality one, who has lost negation and criticism.One-dimensionality human is alienated one. The abandon of the one-dimensionality existence of human should be completed by social revolution. Marcuse developed his idea from human alienation realities in developed industrial society, reconstructed Marx's social revolution theory, and proposed a"total revolution"concept. Marx's early thought, especially those in"Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts, 1844"composed of the philosophical basis of Marcuse's revolutionary theory. Marcuse thinks Marx's theory about revolution motivation is obsolete. In the new historical conditions, the motive of revolution is not produced from poverty. The proletariat has also lost the sense of resistance, could not undertake the task of the revolution. New revolutionary forces should be produced beyond the control of developed industrial society. Marcuse advocates"non-violent resistance,"namely"the Great Refusal"as revolutionary way, changing people's instinct first, eliminating psychological oppression , releasing human's desire for love, liberating human's instinct, adopt"total revolution"road. The goal of the total revolution is to liberate people, mainly liberate nature, and liberate people's perception while art is the means of revolution. Liberating nature can improve the quality of life, restore emotional aesthetic characteristics, also can motivate social change, and promote harmony between man and nature.Marcuse analyzed and criticized the drawbacks of the modern capitalist society very objectively, explored the road of how to get rid of alienation and achieve liberation, expressed his deep concentration on the freedom and happiness of individuals. He inherited and developed Marx's critical theory and revolutionary ideals, enriched and developed the Marxist theory on the people's liberation. But his criticism on the capitalist society exaggerated the negative role of science and technology extremely, neglected the significance of Marx's labor theory of alienation, denied the view of proletariat is the historical strength in social revolution. Marcuse's humanistic thought not only provides us with a new perspective of how to interpret Marxist philosophy but also has some practical significance in China's modernization.