The 500th anniversary of Thomas More's Utopia prompts a fresh evaluation of its impact beyond mere fiction, highlighting its serious critique of societal injustices and its vision of common ownership and representative governance. Wilde explores the historical context of More's work, delving into essential themes such as politics, economics, social relations, crime and punishment, war, and religion, offering a comprehensive analysis of its enduring relevance in social and political discourse.
Erich Fromm and the Quest for Solidarity argues that Fromm's humanistic ethics provides a framework for the analysis of alienation in affluent societies and his exploration of the social forces capable of challenging that alienation. It examines his work on authoritarianism, the experience of work, the struggle against patriarchy, the dangers of consumerism and the manipulation of needs, the urgent need to revive democracy, and the challenge of the emerging 'one world'. Never losing sight of the ancient dream of human solidarity, Fromm's explicitly ethical approach exerts a compelling relevance to a range of issues in contemporary social and political theory.
Focusing on Marx's view of human essence, the book presents it as the basis for an ethic of liberation within his social theory, influenced by Greek philosophy. Wilde discusses the development of this humanistic ethic through thinkers like Marcuse and Fromm, while also addressing critiques from Habermas and Gorz, as well as feminist and ecological perspectives. Revised to incorporate these criticisms, it provides insights into advancing towards a socialist ethical community.