Step into the tumultuous world of the British Psycho-Analytical Society during the Second World War, a period marked by intense intellectual debate and simmering personal conflict. This episode delves deep into the infamous Freud-Klein controversies, examining how fundamental disagreements over psychoanalytic theory and technique became intertwined with struggles for power, influence, and control within the Society.

Explore the backdrop of these tensions, from the Society's origins under Ernest Jones to the significant impact of the war, which scattered members and concentrated authority. We unpack the key players and their positions: Melanie Klein and her proponents championing radical ideas about early development and unconscious phantasy, while others, including Anna Freud and her followers, sought to uphold what they saw as core Freudian principles.

The sources reveal a period where scientific discussions were often overshadowed by accusations of "power politics," concerns about leadership tenure, and questions surrounding the influential Training Committee. Learn how debates over the nature and function of phantasy, the role of introjection and projection, and the training of future analysts became flashpoints, reflecting deeper anxieties about the direction and identity of psychoanalysis in Britain and internationally.

Discover the dramatic exchanges during extraordinary business meetings, where members grappled with issues of transparency, professional conduct, and the very constitution of their Society amidst wartime pressures. Attempts were made to foster structured scientific debate and even broker an "armistice" in personal hostilities.

This episode offers a fascinating look at how theoretical differences can escalate into significant organizational conflict, highlighting the complex interplay of scientific inquiry, personal dynamics, and institutional politics that shaped the history of psychoanalysis.