Critical Theory is looking at current culture/history and challenging the conventional perceptions, the official view of culture/history. The philosophers at the Frankfurt School surprised and critical for the lack of socialism in Germany, and shocked when Nazism and Hitler rose to power. They wanted to figure out why a whole nation allowed it to happen. After all them Germany at the beginning of the World War II. Then shifted to culture. Using the theories of Hegel and Marx with the lense of society, the Frankfurt School brought critical thought to modern civilization turning culture into something to look at and see if in fact if culture is helping or harming democracy.