Status: read in Czech

If a man cannot live with freedom, he will probably turn to fascism. This concise statement reflects the central idea of ESCAPE FROM FREEDOM, Erich Fromm's most famous and very likely his most important book. Using the insights of psychoanalysis as probing agents, Dr. Fromm uncovers the illness of contemporary civilization as witnessed by its willingness to submit to totalitarian rule.
The rise of democracy set some men free politically, while at the same time giving birth to a society in which the individual feels alienated and dehumanized. In this important and challenging work, Dr. Fromm considers the causes of this phenomenon to be found in the minds of all men, and examines the often appalling results.

Rating: This is a great book that everyone with an interest in better orientation in social processes, finding and fulfilling freedom, should read. There is discussed and psychoanalytically pondered the freedom in its broad nature and the phenomena associated with it, explaining the psychological reasons for individuals' behaviour, why they may behave as they do. As a result, the reader also learns a lot about himself and his own role in society. Although the first edition is over 80 years old, the nicely readable content is timelessly still very topical even in our modern society. One of the best books of this year of my reading.