Friedrich Pollock
Encyclopedia
Friedrich Pollock was a German
social scientist
and philosopher. He was one of the founders of the Institute for Social Research
in Frankfurt am Main, and a member of the Frankfurt School
of neo-Marxist theory.
, and raised his son accordingly. Pollack was educated in finance 1911 to 1915. During this time he met Max Horkheimer
, with whom he became a lifelong friend. He then studied economy
, sociology
and philosophy in Frankfurt am Main, where he wrote his thesis on Marx's
Labor theory of value
and received his doctorate in 1923.
The Institute for Social Research
was founded in 1924 by Pollock and fellow Marxist Felix Weil
, who funded the group. Weil was inspired to found the institute after the success of his week long conference, the First Marxist Workweek, in 1923. Weil's goal was to bring together different schools of Marxism, and included György Lukács, Karl Korsch
, Karl August Wittfogel
, and Friedrich Pollock.
In 1927/1928 Pollock traveled to the Soviet Union
in honor of the tenth anniversary of the October Revolution
. His research there led to his treatise: Attempts at Planned Economy in the Soviet Union 1917-1927. Thereafter he took a post as lecturer at the University of Frankfurt and he replaced the ill Carl Grünberg
as Director of the institute from 1928-1930.
Prior to the Nazi
seizure of power, Pollock had used his contacts in the International Labour Organization
to establish a Geneva
branch of the Institute. In 1933, Pollock and Horkheimer moved into exile, first in Geneva, then to London
, Paris
, and finally New York
.
In 1950, he was finally able to return to Frankfurt, taking part in the reestablishment of the Institute, again taking the role of director. From 1951 to 1958 he was professor of national economy and sociology at the University of Frankfurt.
In 1959, Pollock and Horkheimer moved to Montagnola
, Ticino
, Switzerland
, although Pollock held a position as professor Emeritus at the University of Frankfurt until 1963. He died in Montagnola in 1970.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
social scientist
Social Scientist
Social Scientist is a New Delhi based journal in social sciences and humanities published since 1972....
and philosopher. He was one of the founders of the Institute for Social Research
Institute for Social Research
The Institute for Social Research is a research organization for sociology and continental philosophy, best known as the institutional home of the Frankfurt School and critical theory....
in Frankfurt am Main, and a member of the Frankfurt School
Frankfurt School
The Frankfurt School refers to a school of neo-Marxist interdisciplinary social theory, particularly associated with the Institute for Social Research at the University of Frankfurt am Main...
of neo-Marxist theory.
Life
Friedrich Pollock was born to a leather factory owner in Freiburg im Breisgau. Pollock's Jewish-born father turned away from JudaismJudaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
, and raised his son accordingly. Pollack was educated in finance 1911 to 1915. During this time he met Max Horkheimer
Max Horkheimer
Max Horkheimer was a German-Jewish philosopher-sociologist, famous for his work in critical theory as a member of the 'Frankfurt School' of social research. His most important works include The Eclipse of Reason and, in collaboration with Theodor Adorno, The Dialectic of Enlightenment...
, with whom he became a lifelong friend. He then studied economy
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
and philosophy in Frankfurt am Main, where he wrote his thesis on Marx's
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
Labor theory of value
Labor theory of value
The labor theories of value are heterodox economic theories of value which argue that the value of a commodity is related to the labor needed to produce or obtain that commodity. The concept is most often associated with Marxian economics...
and received his doctorate in 1923.
The Institute for Social Research
Institute for Social Research
The Institute for Social Research is a research organization for sociology and continental philosophy, best known as the institutional home of the Frankfurt School and critical theory....
was founded in 1924 by Pollock and fellow Marxist Felix Weil
Felix Weil
Felix Weil was a Marxist and the original financial provider for the Institute for Social Research in Frankfurt am Main, Germany....
, who funded the group. Weil was inspired to found the institute after the success of his week long conference, the First Marxist Workweek, in 1923. Weil's goal was to bring together different schools of Marxism, and included György Lukács, Karl Korsch
Karl Korsch
-Biography:Korsch was born in Tostedt, near Hamburg, to Carl August Korsch, a secretary at the cantonal court and his wife Therese. In 1898 the family moved to Meiningen, Thuringia and Korsch senior attained the position of a managing clerk in a bank...
, Karl August Wittfogel
Karl August Wittfogel
Karl August Wittfogel was a German-American playwright, historian, and sinologist. Originally a Marxist and an active member of the Communist Party of Germany, after the Second World War Wittfogel was an equally fierce anticommunist.-Biography:...
, and Friedrich Pollock.
In 1927/1928 Pollock traveled to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in honor of the tenth anniversary of the October Revolution
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
. His research there led to his treatise: Attempts at Planned Economy in the Soviet Union 1917-1927. Thereafter he took a post as lecturer at the University of Frankfurt and he replaced the ill Carl Grünberg
Carl Grünberg
Carl Grünberg was the first director of the Institute for Social Research. He established and edited a journal of labour and socialist history today known as Grünbergs Archiv . He retired in 1929 and left the Institute to Max Horkheimer....
as Director of the institute from 1928-1930.
Prior to the Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
seizure of power, Pollock had used his contacts in the International Labour Organization
International Labour Organization
The International Labour Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with labour issues pertaining to international labour standards. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. Its secretariat — the people who are employed by it throughout the world — is known as the...
to establish a Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
branch of the Institute. In 1933, Pollock and Horkheimer moved into exile, first in Geneva, then to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and finally New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
In 1950, he was finally able to return to Frankfurt, taking part in the reestablishment of the Institute, again taking the role of director. From 1951 to 1958 he was professor of national economy and sociology at the University of Frankfurt.
In 1959, Pollock and Horkheimer moved to Montagnola
Montagnola
Montagnola is a small Swiss village in Collina d'Oro municipality. Located in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, it is close to the border between Switzerland and Italy. It looks over Lake Lugano and the city of Lugano upon it...
, Ticino
Ticino
Canton Ticino or Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. Named after the Ticino river, it is the only canton in which Italian is the sole official language...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, although Pollock held a position as professor Emeritus at the University of Frankfurt until 1963. He died in Montagnola in 1970.
Selected works
- Werner Sombart'sWerner SombartWerner Sombart was a German economist and sociologist, the head of the “Youngest Historical School” and one of the leading Continental European social scientists during the first quarter of the 20th century....
"Refutation" of Marxism, Leipzig, 1926 - Attempts at Planned Economy in the Soviet Union 1917-1927, Leipzig, 1929
- State Capitalism: Its Possibilities and Limitations; Studies in Philosophy and Social Science Vol. IX, 1941
- Is National Socialism a New Order? Studies in Philosophy and Social Science Vol. IX, 1941
- Group Experiments : A Study by Friedrich Pollock, Frankfurt a.M., 1955
- Automation : Materials for the Evaluation of the Economic and Social Consequences, Frankfurt a. M., 1956
- Possibilities and Borders of Social Planning in Capitalism, 1973