MARXISME OG PSYKOLOGI

Et tilbageblik med nutidigt sigte

Abstract

The article describes how the marxist critique in the early years of the students’ movement led to new orientations, also within psychology. Among the many different positions, one important dividing line was that between those who – inspired by soviet marxist traditions – wanted to build up a marxist psychology, and those who – in the line of critical theory – took inspiration from psychoanalysis, including the recognition of an »inner nature«. An impact of the retraditionalisation of the students’ movement, however, was the break down of critique. Also for psychology this had consequenses. The themes inspired by the meeting between marxism ans psychoanalysis were not cultivated and developed, but left behind. So, today constructivism and (new)biologism stand unmediated side by side – and dealing with the unconscious is again reduced and neutralised, being regarded solely as a therapeutic matter. The inspiration
from critical theory, however, is not used up, it still makes up an unfulfilled program.