On Disobedience: ‘Why Freedom Means Saying “No” to Power (Harper Perennial Modern Thought) by Erich Fromm | (PDF) Free Download

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A part of Harper Perennial’s special “Resistance Library” highlighting classic works that illuminate the “Age of Trump”: A striking reissue of Erich Fromm’s classic work on the existential importance of resisting the forces of authoritarianism, and how disobedience is essential to freedom.“Human history began with an act of disobedience, and it is not unlikely that it will be terminated by an act of obedience.”—from On DisobedienceIn On Disobedience, Erich Fromm writes that the authoritarian dictatorships of the 20th century produced an “organization man” to follow directives blindly, no matter how abhorrent. At the same time, a kind of conformity has arisen in western democracies, only brought about by more subtle means of massive consumerism. In democracies, where the power to implement irreversible destruction rests in the hands of the few, the individual also needs to retain his ability to dissent and to speak “no” to those in power.In the face of these conformist pressures in whichever form they take, modern man must seek an authentic expression in order to retain his deepest sense of self. Fromm sees both capitalism and totalitarian communism moving toward a life-denying industrial bureaucracy, and berates the one system for ignoring, the other for betraying, the ideals of a true humanistic socialism in which people take precedence over things, life over property, and work over capital.Both to ensure humankind’s preservation and for man to reclaim an authentic sense of self, Fromm maintains the necessity of the freedom to dissent. Of this form of disobedience, he writes, “it is not primarily an attitude directed against something, but for something: for man’s capacity to see, to say what he sees, and to refuse to say what he does not see. To do so he does not need to be aggressive or rebellious; he needs to have his eyes open, to be fully awake.”As timely today as when it was first published, On Disobedience is a significant work of the 20th century that generations of readers will turn to for inspiration.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐The first one, never showed up in my mail box. I had to reorder. I like Eric Fromm. I have his Art of Loving book. I know I will like this one. If they say they left it in the mail box due double check. I think someone stole mine. But I don’t know why. It is not like the book is very expensive.I am glad I add another to my collection of Eric Fromm.

⭐My professor presented this as all one book, yours might as well. It’s not. It’s a collection of essays, in approximate order. There’s no coherent theme, chronological or otherwise.That said, the subject matter is an excellent explanation of the ethos of socialism.

⭐Loveeeee Erich Fromm’s essays on disobedience. It provides some thought provoking messages for the reader to digest and analyze their perspectives on the issues involving power.

⭐Reading it again, Excellent work

⭐Excellent book!!Erich Fromm has the courage and clarity of mind to talk about uncomfortable truths.

⭐great

⭐I found this book to be very empowering as Fromm points out the awesome capabilities of man in the context of good and evil. Overall, Fromm holds his argument through a course of winded quotes from Bertrand Russell in the beginning chapters. As noted by a previous review, there isn’t a real consistency in terms of chronological examples or research presented (as noted in the preface). On Disobedience is a bit more preachy and a sort of guide for an individual’s understanding of his role in society and amongst humanity.

⭐Well written. For such a smart man, he writes in an approachable way. His last essay, “Humanistic Socialism” is among the best I have read on the subject.

⭐I’m a big fan of Eric Fromm and regreat having over looked this book until now, the edition I’m reviewing is a 1984 copy from Routledge and Kegan Paul (I really hope that it could possibly be in line for republication in the Routledge Classics series as it really deserves to be).As the foreword states this book collects articles into a single volume which where published elsewhere as books and magazine pieces. The writing style and core concepts will be familiar to anyone who has read Fromm before now, also summarised well in the foreword:”Eric Fromm formulated in these essays what it means to be obedient to human nature and to the goal of a humane society, and to be disobedient to all sorts of idols and political ideologies. His reasoning is still relevant today. This disobedience to conformism and a critical stand against common “non-sense” should still be our main objective.”The contents are a mix of philosophy, politics and psychology, standard to fromm, and break down as follows;i. Disobedience as a psychological and moral problemii. The application of humanist psychoanalysis to Marx’s theoryiii. Prophets and priestsiv. Humanism as a global philosophy of manv. Let man prevailvi. Humanist Socialismvii. The psychological aspects of the guaranteed incomeviii. The case for unilateral disarmamentix. The psychological problems of agingx. On the theory and strategy of peaceThe chapters in this book which may threaten to be more dull, such as the application of humanist psycho-analysis to Marx’s theory dont prove to be so. While it is an essay from a different era, it characterises Fromm’s unique concern to popularise and clarify Marx as Fromm understood him and gives a real insight into Fromm’s thinking. It is also a pretty clear exposition of marxist humanism.The essay on Humanist Socialism is a pretty interesting conceptualisation of some of the core values of socialism which have not been well conceptualised since. While the essay on guaranteed income, which is briefly mentioned in both

⭐To Have or to be?

⭐and

⭐The Sane Society (Routledge Classics)

⭐, is an excellent exposition of a marginal economic and political idea, more recently favoured not simply by left wing radicals but also free marketeers and libertarians, see

⭐Against the Flow

⭐and

⭐In Our Hands: A Plan to Replace the Welfare State

⭐.This will particularly appeal to fans of Fromm’s To Have or To Be? Since it is such a mix of proposals for structural and character change with Fromm’s psychological, philosophical and quasi-theological precepts.I would also recommend it to any fans of Bertrand Russell, particularly his pacifist books, or Albert Schweitzer, whose books promoting a reverence for life closely mirror Fromm’s concerns and philosophy. On the other hand I would hope that anyone could read Fromm and enjoy his writing as much as I have, his books brim with hope and optimism.Students beware, a possible criticism of this book is the omission of an index.

⭐Dont be deceived by the title of this book! It starts out with a few interesting points but quickly spirals away from ‘disobedience’ and the capacity to doubt and criticise into a deluge of pro-socialism propaganda.

⭐Fromm as always challenging our thought, with clear easy to read and accessible writing.

⭐Really enjoyed Fromms discussion on the place of disobedience in human development.

⭐This book is only half a book really, if even that.I had a copy of “On Disobedience and other essays” from the 1980s which contains the contents of this book (essays Disobedience as a psychological and moral problem; Prophets and priests; Let Man Prevail; Humanist Socialism) and much more (The application of humanist psychoanalysis to Marx’s Theory; Humanism as a Global Philosophy of Man; The psychological aspects of the guaranteed income; The case for unilateral disarmament; The psychological problems of aging; On the Theory and Strategy of Peace).With the arranged essays here it is possible to form some opinions and reach some conclusions about Fromm’s own humanistic interpretations of religious and psychological theoretical traditions, including his own, and his politics, which is great and I really commend to confirmed Fromm readers or general readers alike.Although the omissions of some of the other essays does detract from the overall good of the book, hunt down one of the earlier publications, the two essays, one on the idea of a guaranteed annual income (which as a replacement for tax funded state provision of goods and services has its supporters among free marketeer policy pundits and economists these days) and another on aging are absolute over looked gems.Neither of these essays are likely to have the appeal of the “greater themes” of Fromm, for firm fans or new comers to this writing alike, but the are timely reading for anyone living in countries like the UK which are experiencing demographic shifts and controlled by politicians prepared for radical rethinks and restructuring of jobs and benefits. I also think that there is something about Fromm’s writing on topics like this which is overlooked, he can do the bracing, prophetic and championing grand visionary designs the very best but he can just as well do more mundane, pragmatic and reforming topics too.This condensed collection is a small and a short book, it has a contents and no index, it could fit easily into a cargo pants or coat pocket and the graphic design makes me think it is aimed or marketed at a target audience of younger or possibly student readership. Very well, so far as neatly packaged philosophical tracts for younger readers perhaps wrestling with ideas about themselves, the world they inhabit and what would is the good to be aimed at in possible change in their life time this would not go very far wrong. Hopefully reading it would be a spring board to reading more of Fromm’s other essays, including the ones I mentioned, some of the other books in the series, like Schumpeter and Kirkegaard, mentioned at the back of the book are fine too.

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