ABSTRACT
From 1942-1951, Herbert Marcuse worked for various agencies of the United States government, including World War Two intelligence agencies and the State Department. During this period, Marcuse wrote some important essays on German fascism and carried out historical and theoretical studies that shaped his subsequent oeuvre. His 1940s work provides substantive historical insight into German fascism and a strong historico-empirical grounding for his later thought and writings, which would continue to engage the most important issues and events of his times. The insights into fascism, the trends of advanced industrial societies and the emancipatory potential of critical social theory and art present in Marcuse’s 1940s work continues to be of importance today, as new technologies transform every aspect of life and various fascist and rightwing movements persistently prey on the insecurities and fears of our epoch.
