Fromm is the author of Escape from Freedom, an analysis of humankind’s relation to freedom through the lens of social psychology. Fromm was born in Frankfurt, Germany, to a Jewish family. He received a PhD in sociology before training to become a psychoanalyst. While in Frankfurt, he joined the Institute for Social Research, an influential institution devoted to a critical analysis of modern society, often influenced by Marxist philosophy. Fromm fled the Nazis and settled in the US in the 1930s, where he taught at various universities before founding a psychoanalytic training institute. In addition to Escape from Freedom, Fromm authored a number of books that attempted to merge sociological and psychoanalytic concepts, including The Art of Loving, To Have or to Be?, and The Sane Society. 

As the founder of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud is a key figure throughout Escape from Freedom. Born in 1856, Freud originally trained to be a doctor, focusing on treating individuals with mental disorders. He developed the treatment method of psychoanalytic therapy, which focused on having a patient freely discuss their thought patterns, which are then analyzed by the therapist. Through his practice as a psychoanalyst, Freud developed theories about the workings of the brain.