Max Horkheimer must be regarded as the main figure in the formation of the body of ideas that the members of the Frankfurt Institute of Social research came to terms "critical theory." While in its later years, Adorno and Marcuse came to be the leading theorists of the Frankfurt school, in its early years, Horkheimer played the dominant role, both organizationally and intellectually. As director of the institute, Horkheimer reserved for himself, the role of synthesizing the various researches of the members, and presenting the programmatic statements of critical theory. Although Horkheimer's work is not as dazzling or as original as that of Adorno and as utopian as the later Marcuse, his work on the scope and nature of a critical social science, retains an importance today. It was Horkheimer who first furnished the outlines for a critical social theory which was demarcated from other approaches in philosophy and social science. Horkhiemer was no doubt the driving force behind the Institute's projects.

Horkheimer initially viewed the Insitute for Social Research as the home of an Interdiscplinary and social scientific approach to the problems and issues posed by Marx. He saw these issues however, in the light of social conditions that were quite diferent from those Marx saw. He was concerned for example with why revolt against oppressive conditions did not take place, and with the attiudes of the working class and later with the attiudes of all German's toward the rise of fascism.

To this end Horkheimer wrote some initial essays looking at the relation of psychological factors in history and society.