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Escape from Freedom

by Erich Fromm

4.10 · rating details · 1,057 ratings · 78 reviews

If humanity cannot live with the dangers and responsibilities inherent in freedom, it will probably turn to authoritarianism. This is the central idea of Escape from Freedom, a landmark work by one of the most distinguished thinkers of our time, and a book that is as timely now as when first published in 1941. Few books have thrown such light upon the forces that shap...more

Paperback, 320 pages

Published December 31st 1994 by Owl Books (first published 1941)

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Apr 03, 2008

Huyen rated it

Shelves: philosophy-psychology

My rating of this book varies from one chapter to another. The first chapters explaining the attempts of Lutherism and Calvinism to fill the void freedom created during the early era of capitalism were good. Basically, when the feudal system was being replaced by capitalism, man was more free, but also more isolated and insecure. The solution offered by Protestanism was total submission to God and work as a means of searching for a sign of salvation. That laid the groundwork for the unhealthy m...more

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Jul 04, 2011

Murray rated it

Shelves: favourites

Erich Fromm offers profound insights into the social character -- a synopsis of the mind of a typical person in society -- and how it has evolved historically, showing that we are a product of the prevailing culture of our times. He places this analysis in the context of the socioeconomic, cultural and spiritual factors influencing society at the time of the Reformation and then contrasts that period with the rise of Fascism in Europe (not long before he wrote the book in 1942). He examines Freu...more

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Apr 22, 2010

InKohäReN FLieGeNschWeiN rated it

Escape From Freedom by Eric Fromm is an oldie but a goodie classic philosophical book about modern man freeing himself from the bonds of society--any society. Man, in breaking away from his social structure, encounters isolation, and he is confronted with a decision to either escape from the burden of his freedom into new dependencies and submission, or to advance to the full realization of positive freedom which is based on the uniqueness and individuality of man.

In Chapter 7, From...more

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Nov 03, 2009

Megan rated it

A great look at both the economic, political, and social conditions under which freedom flourishes as well as the psychological mechanisms that impede or encourage individuals to either gain and use or to abandon their own autonomy. While he doesn't use this language, I think that he describes well what others refer to as "colonization of the mind."

The solutions offered at the very end of the book for what a society would look like that fully embraced freedom (Fromm suggest...more

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Jan 17, 2011

Carly rated it

Recommends it for: People who like to think..

Shelves: grad-school, 2011, counseling

Here is a book that was recommended to me early in my grad school career, and for some reason I have put off reading it until now. (Studying for comps has pushed me to "get my reading on"...) I read this book in hopes of just reviewing some theory and getting Fromm's perspective. I did not expect to read it and be so engrossed (definitely didn't expect to read it in 2.5 days...).

Fromm puts it out there that as humans, our desire for individual freedom is one that at th...more

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Jan 09, 2009

Adam Kranz rated it

Shelves: non-fiction, the-problem-of-civilization, history

Fromm thoroughly analyzes the human relationship to freedom and the history of this relationship. He determines that, if we are allowed to interact with the world spontaneously (of our own free will) and fulfill our potentials, we will have gained true positive freedom. This is the end of human progress, in his mind: a sort of anarcho-syndicalist society based on technology. However, we have not reached this point in our development yet, and so various factors are colluding to induce destructive...moreFromm thoroughly analyzes the human relationship to freedom and the history of this relationship. He determines that, if we are allowed to interact with the world spontaneously (of our own free will) and fulfill our potentials, we will have gained true positive freedom. This is the end of human progress, in his mind: a sort of anarcho-syndicalist society based on technology. However, we have not reached this point in our development yet, and so various factors are colluding to induce destructiveness and the willingness (read: eagerness) to submit to authority. These factors have arisen because of the course of certain events in recent history. To make a very long story short, the rise of capitalism and the increased freedoms of modern democracies have left the individual alone and anxious, without the safety of a feudal social order or the Church to dictate one's place in the cosmos, and the other side of things has lagged. We have not sufficiently developed the capacity to self-define, to truly become an individual, and to relate spontaneously with the world.

Obviously, I'm having a really hard time summarizing this book. It covers everything, and Fromm leaves no question unanswered. Critically, I'm still having a dilemma regarding the scientific value of his techniques. His claims seemed to be based more on that Freudian species of hypothesizing than on real evidence of any sort. However, this is not the whole of the book, and if these things entirely lack value, the book is still important and worth reading on other merits.

He takes a very clear view to human nature and the nature of society, and the dynamic and impossibly complex way they are related. His explanation of the rise of Fascism seems essentially sound even if it is a bit vague (perhaps necessarily, as he's describing psychological phenomena occurring over a broad population). Further, his ideas regarding the progress, history, and ideal end of the human search for freedom are provocative - though I have decided I disagree. He also understands and articulates the problems with modern society, the things that are causing massacres and meaninglessness and conformity.

His ideas regarding conformity are especially interesting and problematic for me, as they seem to be based on intuitive truths, things we've all experienced, and they are major obstacles to an objective viewpoint in any matter. What I'm referring to is summed up here:

"He has the illusion of having arrived at an opinion of his own, but in reality he has merely adopted an authority's opinion without being aware of this process."
Page 215

Fromm is a genius and wrote a decent number of these passages, and, towards the end, starts sounding exactly like Crimethinc. (less)

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Oct 18, 2011

Jordan rated it

Shelves: october

Erich Fromm's Escape From Freedom is a book about the way humans have developped their thinking, especially concerning their "own" thoughts and actions. He argues that much of what we believe we are thinking, is actually put into our heads by society. According to him, in the past, people had an autority to fight against. But now, the unseen autority is common sense. He also dwelves into the past of humans, and our social construct, particularly the mideval ages. Among other subjects h...more

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Feb 06, 2011

Deviant Geek rated it

Shelves: self-help, favorites, my-ebooks

The fear of freedom

- Man was dominated by the rules of nature. Then man ruled it.. as a society.. and with societies rising.. the individual was oppressed. Under the unjust.. He as an individual empowered the group.. after the religion ruled.. it was perished. And man as a unit.. ruled over all..

So the man as a person.. Foolishly gave in for the society.. because he needed the society. For food, for protection and a lot of things he alone cannot master or fatho...more

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May 26, 2010

Npc Convergence rated it

If humanity cannot live with the dangers and responsibilities inherent in freedom, it will probably turn to authoritarianism. This is the central idea of Escape from Freedom, a landmark work by one of the most distinguished thinkers of our time, and a book that is as timely now as when first published in 1941. Few books have thrown such light upon the forces that shape modern society or penetrated so deeply into the causes of authoritarian systems. If the rise of democracy set some people free, ...more

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May 09, 2011

Vasil Kolev rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: pysch

Не мога да го чета тоя човек. Далеч по-полезно ми беше да прочета за книгата във wikipedia.

Бавен, гаден стил, нищо особено ново, много повторения и като цяло човек остава с впечатлението, че му говорят елементарни глупости (което не е съвсем така). Идеите му не са достатъчно нови и велики, че да го оправдаят, че пише така.
(трудно ми е да повярвам, че тоя човек и е можел да говори поносимо).

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Apr 11, 2011

Graeme rated it

I really love it when I read a book and feel completely blown away by it, and I felt that way about this one. I think it's wonderfully considered -- old Erich knows his onions. Or knew, rather. But he never feels that he's trying to bamboozle the reader or that he has some axe to grind or pomposity balloon to keep inflated. It's just what he thinks based on what he's read and studied and, well, considered. And because I'm a simpleton, yet easily offended, I liked the ease of reading without it b...more

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May 22, 2010

Leon M rated it

Shelves: fromm, may-holiday-2010

In "Escape from Freedom", Fromm identifies freedom as a two-fold phenomena: It is not only freedom to do what you want, but also freedom from you ties to nature. He analyzes how this 'freedom' has become a part of the 'social character' of all humans, mainly as a result of the reformation and the rise of capitalism. He also shows parallels to the development of children, who, during the process of growing up, also loosen their ties to their mother and experience freedom as exactly such...moreIn "Escape from Freedom", Fromm identifies freedom as a two-fold phenomena: It is not only freedom to do what you want, but also freedom from you ties to nature. He analyzes how this 'freedom' has become a part of the 'social character' of all humans, mainly as a result of the reformation and the rise of capitalism. He also shows parallels to the development of children, who, during the process of growing up, also loosen their ties to their mother and experience freedom as exactly such a two-fold phenomena.

Fromm argues that this characteristic of freedom makes it possible that such terrible events like Nazism happen: Most people want to submit to a higher authority and give up their freedom in order to feel their connection to the world. This is why Hitler could seize power (according to Fromm), as he appealed to this characteristic, mainly of the low middle-class - the other classes did not rebell because they were to tired to do so (always excluded the heros of that time).

Fromm also goes on to explain that this character of freedom is a main problem modern democracy is facing, as also in our democracy people are looking for escape mechanisms that will make them forget about or truly loose their freedom, such as: sadism, masochism, automaton behaviour etc. He says that only spontaneous behaviour and love can save mankind from this threat, proposing the introduction of a planned economy in order to make sure that people work together towards a common goal, fighting the isolation of modern life.

I personally think that this is a most interesting theory, but it's just that: A theory. And unlike a lot of what Fromm's written its appeal isn't intuitive and he doesn't give a lot evidence to proof his theory, so the question remains: is it true? Most unfortunately, this question keeps nagging at the reader every two pages or so, because Fromm's theory of how a social character develops is sophisticated, but the way of explaining how this particular trait of what you could call hate of freedom developed is not as sophisticated.

All in all, this book should be regarded as a collection of two theories: the social character theory as an ingenious approach to explaining the way a society functions and a 'escape from freedom' theory that argues men are afraid of freedom because of it meaning they lose their ties to nature. This latter theory is most unfortunately not very well supported.(less)

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Aug 06, 2011

Henrik Enqvist added it

Aikas edelleen pätevä kuvaus ihmisluonteen ristiriitaisista pyrkimyksistä toisaalta absoluuttiseen vapauteen ja samalla vapauden luoman yksinäisyyden tunteen aiheuttamasta tarpeesta vapauden pakoon mitä erilaisemmin tavoin.Enimmäkseen sadomasokistisesti tai mukautumalla,joista vastaataavasti muodostuu äärimmillään autoritäärisiä totalitäärisiä yhteiskuntia tai valedemokratioita joissa yleinen mielipide ja erilaiset konventiot ja suggeraatiot tietoisesti tai tiedostamattomasti korvaavat yksilön ...more

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Dec 07, 2011

Camille Perkins rated it

Fromm has a great grasp on backtracking through political and economic history and exploring man's psychological makeup to find out why and how capitalism and fascism came about, both from a religious and a cultural (Western) level. How do I give an adequate review without spoilers? I will say that although his writing is lengthy every point he makes earlier on is meant to relate to later points. It is an unmistakable whole as you read on, and it gets better. He is articulate and not overly verb...more

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Jun 23, 2010

Todd Martin rated it

Shelves: culture-politics

Escape from Freedom by Erich Fromm was written in 1942 and is viewed as one of the founding works of Political psychology. It is written in a readable style, but is so densely packed with ideas it takes some time to ponder and digest.

The main premise of the book is the following:
As people achieve more freedoms (freedom from religion, oppression, and other forms of control) the more it is up to the individual to create meaning for themselves. If the individual is unable to crea...moreEscape from Freedom by Erich Fromm was written in 1942 and is viewed as one of the founding works of Political psychology. It is written in a readable style, but is so densely packed with ideas it takes some time to ponder and digest.

The main premise of the book is the following:
As people achieve more freedoms (freedom from religion, oppression, and other forms of control) the more it is up to the individual to create meaning for themselves. If the individual is unable to create this meaning, it leads to a sense of isolation, doubt and helplessness. In order to escape these feelings, they can be driven into new forms of bondage (escaping from the freedom which brought on the sense of instability).

As a simple example (though not one which Fromm used) – An individual who leaves their church increases their freedom. They are free to believe whatever they wish, and they are also freed from the customs and morally suspect idiosyncrasies of their former religion. This freedom comes at a psychological price however. They have lost a sense of certainty of the way in which the world operates and what may have been an anchoring point which provided meaning for their lives. If they are unable to fill this void themselves, they may gravitate towards another religion or cult which again takes away the freedom they had recently won.

At the time in which the book was written, the Nazi party had become the dominant force in Germany and WWII was under way. Fromm uses his psychological analysis to explain the rise of the Nazis as a reaction of individuals who were unsettled by political and economic forces. Instead of embracing the change, the German population embraced authoritarianism as a means of providing stability. Needless to say this sense of stability came at a high price.

You can see the same forces at work today in the US in the rise in Christian Nationalism, an embracing of authoritarianism (submission to powers above and domination of those below) in the form of torture, domestic spying, and Arizona’s immigration bill, and in the chants of “taking our country back”. This isn’t to say that authoritarianism is destined to devolve into fascism. It is not. It is true, however, that authoritarianism is antithetical to freedom and on that basis alone should be rejected.

On the hopeful side, Fromm believes that it is an innate quality of human nature to struggle for freedom. And that, through the use of such tools as justice and truth, individuals can positively reshape culture and national character in ways that increase freedom. Looking at the long scope of history this indeed appears to be the trend (despite periodic setbacks like the Bush II administration).
(less)

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Feb 27, 2009

James rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: psychology, sociology

Fromm's book explores over a few short chapters humanity's shifting relationship with freedom, with particular regard to the personal consequences of its absence. Its special emphasis is the psychosocial conditions that facilitated the rise of Nazism. Fromm distinguishes between 'freedom from' (negative freedom) and 'freedom to' (positive freedom). The former refers to emancipation from restrictions such as social conventions placed on individuals by other people or institutions. This is the ki...moreFromm's book explores over a few short chapters humanity's shifting relationship with freedom, with particular regard to the personal consequences of its absence. Its special emphasis is the psychosocial conditions that facilitated the rise of Nazism. Fromm distinguishes between 'freedom from' (negative freedom) and 'freedom to' (positive freedom). The former refers to emancipation from restrictions such as social conventions placed on individuals by other people or institutions. This is the kind of freedom typified by the Existentialism of Sartre, and has often been fought for historically, but according to Fromm, on its own it can be a destructive force unless accompanied by a creative element, 'freedom to' the use of freedom to employ spontaneously the total integrated personality in creative acts. This, he argues, necessarily implies a connectedness with others that goes beyond the superficial bonds of conventional social intercourse: "...in the spontaneous realization of the self, man unites himself anew with the world..."
Freedom, argues Fromm, became an important issue in the 20th century, being seen as something to be fought for and defended. As 'freedom from- is not an experience we enjoy in itself, Fromm suggests that many people, rather than utilising it successfully, attempt to minimise its negative effects by developing thoughts and behaviours that provide some form of security. Fromm suggests that Fascism may arise anywhere a people devolve their thinking on authorities rather than doing it themselves: "The right to express our thoughts ... means something only if we are able to have thoughts of our own". In this he echoes Alexis de Tocqueville, who in his 1840 book Democracy in America stated "It is vain to summon a people who have been rendered so dependent on the central power to choose from time to time the representatives of that power; this rare and brief exercise of their free choice, however important it may be, will not prevent them losing the faculties of thinking, feeling, and acting for themselves, and thus gradually falling below the level of humanity."(less)

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Nov 24, 2007

علی rated it

Shelves: sociology-psychology, theories

Fear of Freedom (UK) (1941)

متاسفانه اریش فروم که صاحب نظری ست در حد کارل گوستاو یونگ و آدلر در زمینه ی روانشناسی و جامعه شناختی بشری، مثل برخی از نویسندگان دیگر، در زبان فارسی سخت مورد بی مهری قرار گرفته چرا که اغلب آثارش توسط مترجمین تازه کار به فارسی برگردانده شده که نه تنها در زبان نویسنده، که در زبان فارسی و ترمینولوژی علم روان شناسی هم چندان خبره نبوده اند. به همین جهت با وجودی که آثار بزرگ او به فارسی برگردانده شده، کمتر کسی رغبت کرده تا اریش فروم را بخواند و به نظریه های شگفتش...more

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Jul 19, 2007

Sean rated it

I blew through this in a week for a political theory class at my undergrad. The class was horrible, and I frankly, remember next to nothing about Fromm, but I think this was written to in some way try to explain the appeal of totalitarianism, and Nazism in particular, that freedom (I think Fromm means, by freedom, a freedom to do, and a freedom from having to do, which can be both positive and negative, ie a freedom from caring for your ailing grandmother, but a freedom from the close connection...more

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Aug 30, 2007

AJ rated it

Shelves: mind

Having acquired more knowledge, the reasons why I like this book are multifaceted. According to science, Fromm is located on the “soft” side of the psychology spectrum. Reading over some of his thoughts – it is clear to see he was ahead of his time and people can rationalize his work as they seem fit. The ideas he acknowledges in this pioneering work have allowed me to gain greater insight into human evolution.

Oh ya, he also defines the meaning of life…

Excerpts

...more

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Jul 16, 2011

Robert rated it

Shelves: critical-thought

We can see this phenomenon played-out today in numerous areas of life. Those of us with concern about unhealthy, control-based churches and the desire for true spiritual freedom will find true value to this discussion and his insights about the choices to "escape from freedom."

Fromm cites three primary choices that people usually make in their "escape from freedom:"
Authoritarianism: Whether in control or in submission, an authoritarian structure removes choi...more

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Dec 06, 2011

Dracu rated it

· review of another edition

Very good ideas about freedom, very good argumentation. But I don't agree with his solutions. His political system based on spontaneity and individual freedom is not possible. Not yet. When people will be able to create such political systems, politics will become obsolete. People will be able to respect others and organize themselves without any government. But of course nobody wants that and i think that we are going in the wrong way. Capitalism have failed and we can see that socialism, natio...more

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Feb 25, 2009

Anna rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: philosophy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Dec 14, 2007

Azra Blekić Aydoğan rated it

... We should always question ourselves about our true desires, thoughts, actions because one can never tell for sure whether he/she thinks and acts one way because of their individual self or because of society and its demands upon us and "whether we are aware of that or not, we arent ashamed anything else as much we're ashamed of the fact that we're not we and nothing makes us more proud and more happy than thinking, feeling and saying what is truly ours"
Basically, it means tha...more

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Mar 25, 2011

Erik Graff rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Fromm fans

Recommended to Erik by: Erik Badger

Shelves: political-social-science

Although I'd read quite a bit of Fromm already and had heard some of his radio lectures, I hadn't yet read his early Escape from Freedom (aka Fear of Freedom). Since it was one of the books on the core list of the "great books" college my youngest stepbrother was attending in Waukegan, Illinois and since I was hoping for a job there, I picked out the old copy on the bookshelf and read it quickly one afternoon at Panini Panini, a cafe on North Sheridan Road here in East Rogers Park, Ch...more

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Jan 20, 2011

Alexandar Vladimirov rated it

The book covered a lot of issues regarding how the insecurity of todays world drives people to seek security in the irrational thinking. I would definitely recommend it to everyone interested in this topic. The good think about the author is that he analyze the ideas from people like Freud and compared them with his own analyze of the topic.

Hope this comment was useful for you.

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Jan 14, 2010

Michael rated it

Shelves: psychology, western-philosophy, politics

Ever hear radio advertisements in your mind? Ever have thoughts that, coincidentally, are mirrored by others? Have you ever caught yourself saying something that is completly irrelevant (like throwing out "good" by expecting the question "How are you?" but the real question being "What's for dinner?"). If so, read on.

This is one of the first books that I read concerning existential freedom (a number of years ago). It's a good introduction to the concept/...more

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Oct 01, 2011

Roberto Suarez rated it

I truly enjoyed reading "Escape from Freedom". I now have more questions than answers than ever. Do individuals shape the society in which we live or do we simply conform to the political/economic structure established by the rich and powerful? Have we as a human race become more isolated and powerless to help one another? Have we been simply reduced to dehumanized instruments for the purposes of others enslaved by ignorance and alienation? I have come to believe that there has be...more

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Dec 14, 2010

Sankar Raj rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: psychology, i-own, favourites

The most famous book of the great psychologist and thinker Erich Fromm. It was first published as Fear of Freedom. Later he rewrote and made it comprehensive.He is a neo-Freudian who sought to syntheses Marxism and Psychoanalysis.However he had serious differences with Herbert Marcuse another thinker who sough to synthesize Freud and Marx.

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Feb 08, 2010

Katrina rated it

why do people hang their brains in the closet and swallow a passing idealogy hook, line, and sinker? this book peers into how the holocaust, mcarthyism and other such waves of improbably momentous ideological movement can happen.

it happens because people are afraid of their own freedom of thought and independence.

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May 21, 2008

Jacob rated it

nobody likes to be told what to do, right? okay, but you're depressed, anxious, moody, bewildered, confused, misguided, uncertain, scared, angry, okay enufff! whew, i got my breath back. that was fun, right? i mean, you thoroughly value your entire range of human emotion and their accompanying phenomena, right? because, well, some people struggle with the experience of all those thoughts and emotions that accompany existential freedom. and when things get really bad, that's when you need a stron...more

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About Erich Fromm

Fromm's theory is a rather unique blend of Freud and Marx. Freud, of course, emphasized the unconscious, biological drives, repression, and so on. In other words, Freud postulated that our characters were determined by biology. Marx, on the other hand, saw people as determined by their society, and most especially by their economic systems.

He added to this mix of two deterministic syst...more

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Quotes from Escape from Freedom

“The more the drive toward life is thwarted, the stronger is the drive toward destruction; the more life is realized, the less is the strength of destructiveness. Destructiveness is the outcome of unlived life.” — 10 people liked it

“Большинство людей убеждено, что если их не принуждает открыто какая-либо внешняя сила, то их решения — это их собственные решения, и если они чего-то хотят, то это их собственные желания. Такое представление о себе — одна из величайших наших иллюзий. На самом деле значительная часть наших желаний фактически навязана нам со стороны; нам удается убедить себя, что это мы приняли решение, в то время как на самом деле мы подстраиваемся под желания окружающих, гонимые страхом изоляции или даже более серьезных опасностей, угрожающих нашей жизни” — 3 people liked it

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