PARTISAN REVIEW
yet antagonistic factors which govern capitalist society, Marxism neglected
certain regressive factors such as the persistence of ideologies which stand
in the way of adaptation to economic realities. This might have seemed
of secondary importance in periods of ascendancy like the nineteenth
century. But in a period of economic decomposition and political catas–
trophe the regressive factors become dominant; myth, traditions, old
ideologies which in earlier periods had been pushed into the background
by purposeful activity, now become decisive. In the face of this social
sickness, 'classical Marxism is as defenseless as was the pre-Freudian
physician in the face of a patient's compulsion neurosis.
Man exists only as a particle, as a private being, in the plebeian mass.
The social being is destroyed in each individual. This is why such a
mass calls for a leader. The atomized individual who is denied direct
contact with society can only exist through a Fuhrer who monopolizes
the individual's social essence and his political consciousness. The mass
of
declasses
recognizes itself in the Fuhrer, identifying itself with him.
The totalitarian party, the militarized plebs, differs from any kind
of democratic party just as a disciplined army differs from civil society.
In the Nazi party, the alienation of man was complete. The individual
core disappeared, what remained was only an object, an unconscious
WE~RE
EXPANDING
This
is
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Oranges. Neither does it presage the addition of a snappy line of greeting cards, or anything else
irrelevant to our single-minded enterprise of selling books to intelligent, alert, and fastidious
readers. We are simply venturing into a new area of literary specialization.
Some V.I.P. (onr customers-who else?) have suggested that we make available a representative
selection of the better works
in
PSYCHIATRY and PSYCHOANALYSIS. We have, accordingly,
set aside several shelves for the purpose, and now have on display a fairly respectable number of
the more important books in the field. Since we have no intention of practicing psychosomatic
medicine without a license, we make no specific recommendations, but content ounelves
with
the statement that we carry in stock works of Sigmund and Anna Freud; Reich, Reik, and Rank;
and almost every other practitioner, from Adler to Zilboorg, who
is
recognized as an authority
by any considerable group of followers.
We hope to build this collection as we have built onr noteworthy sections of books on THEATRE,
DANCE, FILM, and MUSIC; and so, in this, as in onr other fields, we shall welcome sug–
gestions, comments, and criticism from friends who know more about the subject than we do.
A list of books presently on hand is available, and onr monthly bulletin will henceforth call at–
tention to new titles in this field. We will undertake to supply, at the publisher's price, any
current book not on onr shelves, and
will
gladly search for out of print titles without charge
or obligation.
LAWRENCE R. MAXWELL-BOOKS
45 CHRISTOPHER STREET, NEW YORK 14
WAtkins
9-3494
Open
2
to
10 P.M.
THEATRE- DANCE- FILM- MUSIC -EXPERIMENTAL WRITING
and
PSYCHIATRY and PSYCHOANALYSIS
608
