Letters from Tomis

My Socialist Hall of Fame

During this chaotic era of vile rhetoric and manipulative tactics from our so-called bourgeois leaders, I am invigorated by the opportunity to reflect on Socialists, Revolutionaries, Philosophers, Guerrilla Leaders, Partisans, and Critical Theory titans, champions, and martyrs who paved the way for us—my own audacious “Socialism’s Hall of Fame.” These are my heroes and fore-bearers. Not all are perfect, or even fully admirable, but all contributed in some way to our future–either as icons to emulate, or as warnings to avoid in the future.

Félix Guattari (1930–1992) was a French psychoanalyst, philosopher, and social theorist best known for his collaborative work with Gilles Deleuze, particularly their influential theories of schizoanalysis, capitalism, desire, and political ecology.

Born on April 30, 1930, in Villeneuve-les-Sablons, France, Guattari trained initially in pharmacology but quickly became deeply involved in psychoanalysis, influenced notably by Jacques Lacan. His early clinical experience at the psychiatric clinic La Borde, under Jean Oury, shaped his innovative therapeutic practices emphasizing collective therapy and the decentralization of institutional authority.

In 1972, Guattari and philosopher Gilles Deleuze co-authored “Anti-Oedipus,” a landmark work introducing the concept of schizoanalysis. Rejecting Freudian and Lacanian psychoanalysis’s emphasis on Oedipal complexes and familial structures, schizoanalysis offered a radical critique of capitalist society’s influence on individual and collective desire. The book became foundational for anti-authoritarian and anti-capitalist movements, significantly influencing contemporary philosophy, cultural studies, and political theory.

Their collaboration continued with “A Thousand Plateaus” (1980), elaborating concepts such as “rhizome,” “deterritorialization,” and “assemblage.” Guattari’s later work further expanded his philosophical scope, notably in “The Three Ecologies” (1989), addressing interrelated ecological, social, and psychological crises. He argued for an “ecosophy” that integrates environmental sustainability, social justice, and mental health.

Guattari was actively engaged in political activism, participating in movements addressing anti-colonial struggles, workers’ rights, and ecological sustainability. He remained a clinician at La Borde until his death on August 29, 1992, in La Borde, France.

Guattari’s interdisciplinary contributions have deeply influenced critical theory, psychotherapy, philosophy, and political activism, promoting radically democratic and ecological perspectives.

Selected Bibliography:

Primary Works:

• Deleuze, Gilles, and Félix Guattari. “Anti-Oedipus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia.” Translated by Robert Hurley, Mark Seem, and Helen R. Lane. University of Minnesota Press, 1983.

• Deleuze, Gilles, and Félix Guattari. “A Thousand Plateaus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia.” Translated by Brian Massumi. University of Minnesota Press, 1987.

• Guattari, Félix. “The Machinic Unconscious: Essays in Schizoanalysis.” Translated by Taylor Adkins. Semiotext(e), 2011.

• Guattari, Félix. “The Three Ecologies.” Translated by Ian Pindar and Paul Sutton. Bloomsbury Academic, 2008.

• Guattari, Félix. “Chaosmosis: An Ethico-Aesthetic Paradigm.” Translated by Paul Bains and Julian Pefanis. Indiana University Press, 1995.

• Guattari, Félix, and Antonio Negri. “Communists Like Us.” Translated by Michael Ryan. Semiotext(e), 1990.

Secondary Literature:

• Genosko, Gary. “Félix Guattari: An Aberrant Introduction.” Continuum, 2002.

• Dosse, François. “Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari: Intersecting Lives.” Translated by Deborah Glassman. Columbia University Press, 2010.

• Buchanan, Ian. “Deleuze and Guattari’s Anti-Oedipus: A Reader’s Guide.” Continuum, 2008.

• Massumi, Brian. “A User’s Guide to Capitalism and Schizophrenia: Deviations from Deleuze and Guattari.” MIT Press, 1992.