Criticism of Extreme Concepts in Theory of Alienation

The extreme concepts in the theory of alienation have been analysed in this paper. Such concepts can be found both in the traditional as well as in the contemporary theories. The phenomenon of alienation, considered from the global and from the predominantly positive aspects, characterizes the traditional theory of alienation. In Hegel's philosophy such a concept becomes expressed as an extreme. Hegel is interested in the general situation, in logic, and in evolution of the historical process; the historical process itself is happening by means of alienation, in other words, by means of changing the passions (partial interests and activities) into idea and intellect (general, common, social contents). Hegel does not seem to be interested in the problems of an individual, such problems being of no interest at his time after all, for the liberal capitalism does not produce the problematic but self-confident and strong personalities. Hegel is not aware of the destructive, self-destructive moments in the process of alienation. Consequently, the alienation becomes exclusively positive process for Hegel, it becomes a specific process of the human self-creation in the history. The individual side of the problem of alienation has been worked out in more detail with Marx. With Marx as well as with Lenin the destructive side of the negativism, building not only the history but also representing a great danger for the human existence, has been rather emphasized. In this way the extreme of Hegel's concept has been lessened. On the other hand, in the contemporary theory of alienation there is a collision between the extreme and complete concepts. Different from the traditional theory of alienation, the contemporary concept emphasizes, on the whole, the individual and negative aspects of alienation. In the philosophy of existentialism such a concept has been expressed to an extreme. Quite different from such an extreme term, a lot of modern authors have been pointing out the drawbacks and extremes in the contemporary concepts, (e.g. L. Feuer’s criticism) and they have been trying to realize the complete approaches to the question of alienation. This question particularly becomes explicit in the works of E. Fromm and W. Mills. Thus some definite contours of the complete approaches as well as the criticism of the extreme concepts of alienation can be traced both in the traditional and contemporary theories. From what has been said about the question of alienation by now, it becomes evident that its complete research must include the global and the individual, the positive and the negative aspects of the problem at the same time. As an example of such an approach, the isolation and the lack of power have been analysed in the research. The analysis has clearly pointed out that these, as well as other forms of alienation, can and must be analysed as the complete social-individual and positive-negative phenomena.