Abstract

In Liberalism (1927) by Ludwig von Mises, he believed there was a psychological disorder with the anti-capitalist, the Fourier complex.  Dr. von Mises is the world’s greatest economist, but psychology was not his area of expertise.  He was not qualified to address the disorder, he explicitly said so, and did not investigate the matter.  Carl G. Jung did investigate the matter in The Undiscovered Self (1957).  I am unaware if Dr. Jung had any familiarity with Dr. von Mises, but this work seems to be written directly addressing the Fourier complex which Dr. von Mises intuitively recognized 30 years prior.  This provides a phenomenal connection between economics and psychology.

The Fourier Complex

The anti-capitalist will not use reason.  They would come to a radically different conclusion if they did.  Ludwig von Mises believed this.  In discussing the psychological roots of anti-liberalism, he said “It cannot be the task of this book to discuss the problem of social cooperation otherwise than with rational arguments. But the root of the opposition to liberalism cannot be reached by resort to the method of reason. This opposition does not stem from the reason, but from a pathological mental attitude—from resentment and from a neurasthenic condition that one might call a Fourier complex,” he continued “a serious disease of the nervous system, a neurosis, which is more properly the concern of the psychologist than of the legislator. Yet it cannot be neglected in investigating the problems of modern society. Unfortunately, medical men have hitherto scarcely concerned themselves with the problems presented by the Fourier complex.” (von Mises, 1927)  This was true at the time this was written.  The issue had been neglected, but it was address, not by medical men, but a medical man.  Few, if any, are more qualified for this task than world-renowned psychologist Carl G. Jung. 

Dr. Jung immediately pointed out the state was the opponent of the individual’s mind in The Undiscovered Self.  Jung said “The moral responsibility of the individual is then inevitably replaced by the policy of the State…The goal and meaning of individual life (which is the only real life) no longer lie in individual development but in the policy of the State, which is thrust upon the individual from outside and consists in the execution of an abstract idea which ultimately tends to attract all life to itself.” (Jung, 1957)  The individual uses reason to determine the best course of action.  State policy takes the place of individual actions carried out by reason, thus, reason has been annihilated.  Jung points to the only real life is the individual life.  Life has been stunted when the individual’s goals have been removed.

“He is thus the only individual or, at any rate, one of the few individuals who could make use of their individuality if only they knew how to differentiate themselves from the State doctrine. They are more likely, however, to be the slaves of their own fictions.” (Jung, 1957)  The individual may truly believe they can think for themselves, but nearly all are fooling themselves.  “Furthermore, in order to compensate for its chaotic formlessness, a mass always produces a “Leader,” who almost infallibly becomes the victim of his own inflated ego-consciousness.” (Jung, 1957)  The individual cannot shape his own mind and looks to a new idol for stability, however, they won’t find it because the leader believes his mind is stronger than it actually is.

“As a social unit he has lost his individuality and become a mere abstract number in the bureau of statistics.” (Jung, 1957)  The individual has become lost in the whole, individual goals have been replaced, he has become a slave to his own foolishness, now he is a number.  He may truly believe the leader cares about him, but doesn’t realize what he actually is to the leader and the state.  The state requires companies to supply statistics on nearly everything, provides a social security number, and requires the individual to register for the selective service.  This is how the state monitors business and identifies its subjects.  We have all become a number.

The state then attempts to be the Lord, “all socio-political movements tending in this direction invariably try to cut the ground from under the religions.” (Jung, 1957)  The leader now has the final word, there is no higher authority which can be appealed to. “The State has taken the place of God; that is why, seen from this angle, the socialist dictatorships are religions and State slavery is a form of worship.” (Jung, 1957)  The state wants you to worship.  The states buildings are large to make you feel insignificant, leader’s faces are stamped on money, carved into mountains, and monuments are erected, all of this is by design.

“Happiness and contentment, equability of soul and meaningfulness of life – these can be experienced only by the individual and not by a State, which, on the one hand, is nothing but a convention of independent individuals and, on the other, continually threatens to paralyze and suppress the individual.” (Jung, 1957)  The state is not a person, it cannot discover its shadow.  The mind needs individualism to fully develop.  The state is a collection of individuals held together by ideas.  Each is suppressing and stunting the growth of the other.  Only the individual can develop their own mind, not the state nor state policy.  The individual, and only the individual, can make the darkness conscious.

Once this is severe enough, we have the State, not the state.  He ends by stating “I hope, therefore, that a psychiatrist, who in the course of a long life has devoted himself to the causes and consequences of psychic disorders, may be permitted to express his opinion, in all the modesty enjoined upon him as an individual, about the questions raised by the world situation today.” (Jung, 1957)  Carl G. Jung justified the Fourier complex.

References

Jung, C. G. (1957). The Undiscovered Self. Routelidge Classics.

von Mises, L. (1927). Liberalism: In the Classical Tradition. The Foundation for Economic Education.