Modern capitalist society is the target of severe criticism in Herbert Marcuse's book, One-Dimensional Man. As one would hope, Marcuse's intent is not merely to point out the shortcomings of the present system. He further hopes to encourage change in the most basic features of society, and with the intent to effect change arises the question of what goals the proposed change is directed towards. Primary among his goals is the "development and satisfaction of human needs and faculties" (xliii). Which of the wide range of human faculties are worthy of development? This question obviously requires value judgments to be made; any answer will be highly subjective or very complex, and probably both subjective and complex. Instead, this paper will focus on the second problem raised by Marcuse's goal: the identification of human needs to be satisfied. In particular, we will examine his own standards for determining what human needs must be satisfied by a rational society.
Marcuse......
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Approximate Word Count: 2714
Approximate Pages: 11 (260 words per double-spaced page) |