Critical Theory / Critical View

Critical theory is a social theory oriented toward critiquing and changing society as a
whole. It differs from traditional theory, which focuses only on understanding or
explaining society. Critical theories aim to dig beneath the surface of social life and
uncover the assumptions that keep human beings from a full and true understanding of how
the world works.

Critical theory is the product of a group of German neo-Marxists who were dissatisfied
with the state of Marxian theory. Particularly its tendency toward economic determinism.
The organization associated with critical theory, the Institute of Social Research, was
officially founded in Frankfurt, Germany, on February 23, 1923. Critical theory has
spread beyond the confines of the Frankfurt school. Critical theory was and is largely a
European orientation, although its influence in American sociology has grown.

Critical theory is composed largely of criticisms of various aspects of social and

intellectual life, but its ultimate goal is to reveal more accurately the nature of society.
Critical theory applied a wide variety of knowledge from social sciences, humanities and
philosophy.

The term critical theory was coined by Horkheimer. Critical theory is based on the idea
that there is something which is essentially human, the ability to work together, to
transform our environment. This provides us with a measuring stick, a means by which, we
can judge the existing societies and criticizes them. Societies which fragment our social
relationships, which takes away our ability to make choices, and decision in cooperation
with each other can be subjected to systematic criticism. They are oppressive unfree
societies. Any society which prohibits people from developing and employing their rational
faculties i.e., absolute knowledge to know the world as a whole can be criticized.

Thus, critical theory is critical, in this way it is able to show how an existing society is
irrational or oppressive and how it takes away or destroys basic features of human life,
the ability to transform our own environment and to make collective rational choices about
our lives. It also puts out present society and view back into their historical contexts

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showing that, they are not fixed for all time but part of a long difficult process in which
we are still engaged.

Critical theory was established as a school of thought primarily by Frankfurt school. The
scholars of critical theory is consisted of different generations. The major pioneers of
critical theory are Herbert Marcus, Theodore Adorno, Max Horkheimer, Walter
Benjamin, Eric Fromm, Habermas and Althusser. All these critical theorists have
something very common to share. They all described and analysed the present society in
relation to its past and in doing so enabled those who were oppressed to realize the force
that cause the oppression.

Characteristics of Critical theory

1. Emancipation: The critical theory believed that the ultimate objective of any
theory should be the emancipation of man from oppression and exploitation.

2. Necessary but not sufficient condition for revolution: Critical theorist believed
that theory is the primary source of revolutionary change but it is not sufficient.
Practice follows the truth. Theory should motivate change. In order to bring
revolution theorist should have the potential to practice their theories.

3. Stress on Consumerism: According to critical theorist, the increased consumerism

does not compensate the proletariat for the alienation of their labour power and
especially monopoly of capitalism. As a matter of fact, capitalism give false image
among the proletariat, that they were exercising real choices in the purchase of
commodity. Actually the consumers have been made victims of created needs and
not the real needs.

4. Supra disciplinary: The approaches of Critical theory and research go beyond

separate disciplinary position to create a supra disciplinary social theory.

5. Alienation and domination in modern capitalist society: Critical theorist focused

on the concept of alienation in the modern capitalist society, capitalism has a

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 tendency to exercise it's dominance over the proletariat. This aspect of Marxian
has provided a deep concern by critical theorists.

6. Criticism of positivism: Critical theorists also focus on the philosophical

underpinnings of scientific enquiry, especially positivism. The criticism of positivism
is related, at least in part, to the economic determinism. Positivism accepts the idea
that a single scientific method is applicable to all fields of study. It takes the
physical sciences as the standard of certainty and exactness. Positivists believe
that knowledge should be scientific. Such a conceptualisation of positivism is
opposed by the critical theory. The theorists focus on human activity as well as on
the ways in which such activity affects larger social structures.

7. Criticism of sociology as a discipline: The scholars of the Frankfurt Institute of

Social Research have very strongly criticised sociology as a discipline. What is
wrong with sociology is that it takes scientism as its prime method of study. The
critical school maintains that sociology does not seriously criticized society nor
does it seek to transcend the contemporary social structure. Sociology, the critical
school contends, has surrendered its obligations to help people oppressed by
contemporary society.

8. Economic determinism: Marx's theory of economic determinism is criticised very

often. But the criticism lauched by the Frankfurt scholars is different. They did
not say that economic determinants were wrong in focussing on the economic realm
but that they should have been concerned with other aspects of social life as well.

9. Emergence of knowledge industry: Critical theorists argued that the source of

generating knowledge have become autonomous structures in society. Their
autonomy, that is, the autonomy of universities and research institutes, has become
oppressive structure interested in expanding their influence throughout the
society.

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