One-Dimensional Man: Studies in the Ideology of Advanced Industrial Society

work by Marcuse

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 17, 2026

Quick Summary

In One-Dimensional Man: Studies in the Ideology of Advanced Industrial Society (1964), Herbert Marcuse argues that modern affluent societies, while appearing to offer freedom and satisfaction, actually suppress critical thought through consumer culture. This creates a "one-dimensional" existence where individuals lack intellectual and spiritual depth. Marcuse, a member of the Frankfurt School, believed that advanced industrial societies, whether capitalist or communist, create conformity and hinder genuine liberation. Technology itself is a tool that can be used for control or liberation, but its direction is determined by social choices, not by an inherent autonomy.123

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

6 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

political philosophy
Horkheimer, Adorno, and Marcuse
…best-known and most influential work, One-Dimensional Man: Studies in the Ideology of Advanced Industrial Society (1964), he argued that the modern capitalist “affluent” society oppresses even those who are successful within it while maintaining their complacency through the ersatz satisfactions of consumer culture. By cultivating such shallow forms of experience…
Read More
…best-known and most influential work, One-Dimensional Man: Studies in the Ideology of Advanced Industrial Society (1964), he argued that the modern capitalist “affluent” society oppresses even those who are successful within it while maintaining their complacency through the ersatz satisfactions of consumer culture. By cultivating such shallow forms of experience…
Read More

Herbert Marcuse
…best-known and most influential work, One-Dimensional Man: Studies in the Ideology of Advanced Industrial Society (1964), Marcuse argued that the modern “affluent” society represses even those who are successful within it, while maintaining their complacency through the ersatz satisfactions of consumer culture. By cultivating such shallow forms of experience and…
Read More
…best-known and most influential work, One-Dimensional Man: Studies in the Ideology of Advanced Industrial Society (1964), Marcuse argued that the modern “affluent” society represses even those who are successful within it, while maintaining their complacency through the ersatz satisfactions of consumer culture. By cultivating such shallow forms of experience and…
Read More