Aesthetics and liberation: Herbert Marcuse on the sociopolitical value of the arts

The role of the arts in society and politics was of profound concern to Herbert Marcuse in his philosophical work. From the 1950s to the 1970s, Herbert Marcuse – a prominent member of the Frankfurt School – became increasingly insistent on the fundamental importance of the arts for the well-being of both the individual and society. Recently, there has been a resurgence of interest in the philosophy and social thought of Marcuse. This paper highlights that Marcuse’s conceptualization of the significance of the arts – especially their social and political roles – offers valuable insights for contemporary theorists, artists, and their supporters. This paper particularly focuses on the implications of Marcuse’s work for understanding the role of the arts in fostering social change. It outlines Marcuse’s ideas on political economy – his claim that technological development under capitalism has produced an abundance of output that could provide the basis for radical social and political change. In addition, this study examines the philosophical grounding of Marcuse’s ideas regarding the role of the arts through the aesthetics theories of Kant and Schiller. Some objections that might be raised against Marcuse’s theories concerning the arts are considered critically. Finally, the affective potency and value of Marcuse’s work are underlined.