Escape From Freedom

“Modern European and American history is centered around the effort to gain freedom from the political, economic, and spiritual shackles that have bound men.” 

One of the core historical theses of Fromm’s book is that modern history can be defined by a general trajectory toward increasing freedoms from external authorities, such as the rule of kings and the power of the Catholic Church. Fromm argues that while we may have gained freedom from outside forces, we have yet to obtain internal freedoms and live as true individuals. 

“Man is not only made by history—history is made by man.” 

A key assumption in Fromm’s argument is that individuals and society are in a dynamic, reciprocal relationship with each other. Fromm believes that human nature and personality is largely created by social forces. However, he refuses to say that individuals are totally produced by society, and instead focuses on how society and individuals each shape each other in turns. 

“There is another [need] just as compelling, one which is not rooted in bodily processes but in the very essence of the human mode and practice of life: the need to be related to the world outside oneself, the need to avoid aloneness.” 

In addition to bodily needs such as eating and sleeping, Fromm posits that human beings are driven by a need to feel socially connected with other individuals in a community. Escape from Freedom focuses on how this desire to have a sense of belonging with others leads individuals in modern society to relinquish their freedoms and embrace authoritarianism.