Erich Seligmann Fromm was a German-American social psychologist, psychoanalyst, sociologist, humanistic philosopher, and democratic socialist. He was born in Frankfurt am Main, German Empire, and fled from the Nazi regime, eventually settling in the United States. Fromm is known for his association with the Frankfurt School of critical theory and was one of the founders of The William Alanson White Institute of Psychiatry, Psychoanalysis and Psychology in New York City.

Fromm's work explored the interaction between psychology and society, blending theories from Freud and Marx. He held various professorships in psychology in the U.S. and Mexico during the mid-20th century, making significant contributions to the renewal of psychoanalytic theory and practice during this period.