ERICH FROMM'S IDEAS ON BUILDING A NEW SOCIETY

Authors

  • MA. Nguyen Quynh Huong

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61421/IJSSMER.2026.4202

Keywords:

Erich Fromm, society, new society, new man

Abstract

Erich Fromm, a German-American psychoanalyst and social philosopher, developed a profound system of thought on constructing a new society based on humanistic socialism. The author delves into the fundamental distinction between two modes of existence: “having” and “being,” thereby demonstrating that alienation in modern industrial society stems from social conditions that distance individuals from their own humanistic values. The paper also presents the conditions for personality change, outlines the portrait of the “new man,” and outlines the model of a humanistic democratic society that Erich Fromm envisioned. Simultaneously, the author offers a critical assessment of the practicality of Erich Fromm's thought in relation to classical Marxism and the modern social context.

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Author Biography

MA. Nguyen Quynh Huong

Department of Political Theory, Trade University, Vietnam

References

Fromm, Erich, (1955), The Sane Society, New York: Rinehart and Winston, 2nd edition (Routledge), p98.

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Fromm, Erich (1976), To Have or to Be? , Jonathan Cape, https://giuseppecapograssi.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/erich-Erich Fromm-to-have-or-to-be-1976.pdf . Access date: November 11, 2025.

Fromm, Erich (ed), Socialist Humanism: An International Symposium (Doubleday), www.Marxists.org/archive/fromm/works/1965/introduction.htm, p.ix.. Accessed date: October 6, 2025.

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McIntyre, Alasdair ( 1970 ) , Herbert Marcuse , Fontana – Collins Press ; Anderson, Perry, 1976, Considerations on Western Marxism (Verso) , https://archive.org/details/perry-anderson-considerations-on-western-marxism-1976 . Access date: November 11, 2025.

Wolfreys, Jim (1999), “Class Struggles in France”, International Socialism 84 (autumn), www.C.Mácists.org/history/etol/newspape/isj2/1999/isj2-084/wolfreys.htm . Access date: October 6, 2025.

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Published

2026-04-14

How to Cite

MA. Nguyen Quynh Huong. (2026). ERICH FROMM’S IDEAS ON BUILDING A NEW SOCIETY. International Journal of Social Science, Management and Economics Research, 4(2), 12–21. https://doi.org/10.61421/IJSSMER.2026.4202