The Northwest worker. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1915-1917, 1916-03-16


not these changes in the nature of
man as important as, perhaps more
important than, the social conditions
producing the changes? This is an
aspect of sociology neglected by So
cialists; and II is an aspect Of DIV
mamie value to the revolutionary
movement.
In spite Of Marks appreciation OF
the Importance of the individual So.
cialist propaganda has developed a
rigid determinsm which minimizes
and often totally suppresses the psy.
Geological factor. The doctrainaire
Socialists act on the belief that the
movement has to deal chiefly If not
solely with social forces, the individ.
ual being of only slight importance.
They assume that for all practical
purposes it is sufficient to
know that the social miieu
conditions psychology But that is not
sufficient While socially conditioned.
individual psychology and the psy.
chology of the mass become an indie.
pendent factor in the social process
as whole, possessing laws and mo.
tives of their own: laws and motives
which men dealing with human forces
must comprehend if they desire sue
cess.
The great task Of Marx was the
analysis of the fundamental social
forces which determine the conscious
ness of men He developed the neaa
tive aspect of psychology. At a time
when the science Of psychology was
the slave of biology, Marks social
concept marks tremendous revolu-
ton. Strangely enough the full sig
nificance of this revolution was never
in the Socialist move
ment; and it is the bourgeois scien-
fist who today is Transforming psy-
chology by means Of the MARKHAM
concept These scientists are devel.
oping purposive social psychology
by an intensive analysis OF the psy-
chology of the individual DR. Felix
Kruger, professor of philosophy and
at the University of Halle
and few years ago Kai-
ser Wilhelm professor at Columbia
excellently summarized,
in lecture at the time, the spirit of
the new psychology:
The new psychologist knows that
the psychological problem has its So
cial and genetic side; it must be
judged as a esult-of past conditions
as well as by present characteristics;
it cannot be valued by experiment
alone. Emotion and thought are more
by the social milieu and
the past history than by sensation.
The proper aim of psychology is not
metaphysical but purely empirical,
but its actual experimental discover
les must be supplemented by his
toric and social investigation. Psy-
chology lies, indeed, on the border
land of the natural and humanistic
sciences-both. We cannot study a
psychological phenomenon without
delving into history and sociology"
The reversal of these propositions
provides a statement of the concepts
which should be emphasized in So
cialist theory:
Socialism knows that the social
problem has it's human and psyche
logical side; it must be judged as
we'll as economic and social condi-
tons; it cannot be solved by eco
Monies alone. The social milieu is
conditioned psychologically as well as
economically. The proper aim of
Socialism is not metaphysical, but
purely empirical, but its actual activ-
ity and volitional expression must be
complemented by psychological inves-
tigation. We cannot study a social
phenomenon without deving into the
psychology of human reactions.
But this attitude would still largely
remain a negative one. Socialists
must not alone recognize the psyche
logical aspects of their philosophy
all genuine Marxists have done that;
we must use psychology positively,
purposively; we must make funda
mental study of psychology, as fun
dapental as our study of economies
The value of psychology is greater
than the simple analysis of social
problems. AS social conditions are
transformed, men are transformed:
and the supreme utility of psyohoI.
ogy lies in the analysis of transform
atoms in the nature of man.
Out of this analysis energies the
potential culture of the new society
in which the chief concern of man is
man himself