Time and Place: New York on March 28, 1962

Abstract: After recommending some books on humanism, this second lecture on “Humanism and Barbarism” starts with the change in the history of Western man by the French Revolution which was the beginning of the opposite of the spirit of humanism. With the beginning of the 19th century, the idol of the national state is erected. Nationalism combined with industrial revolution finally led from World War I on to the brutalization of Western people. A new barbarism began where humans become to things and universalism has changed into togetherness. Fromm then goes on to discuss ideas of socialism in the 19th century, which can be understood as a humanistic response to nationalism. Here, Marx developed the idea of the whole human being as a humanistic alternative. Finally, Fromm deals with the human capacity for love and reason and the ability to experience humanity in oneself – as a prerequisite for overcoming barbarism and to choose humanism. – The lecture was given by Erich Fromm in New York on the invitation of the Young Men’s and Young Women’s Hebrew Association. The lecture (63’) is followed by Fromm’s answers (19’) to questions from the audience.

The text of the lecture and discussion can be downloaded as a PDF file.

ID in the directory of Erich Fromm’s works (https://fromm-online.org/en/works/original-writings/): 1962q-eng