Read in this country chiefly in the brilliantly faithful translation by charles francis atkinson, the decline of the west new york, two volumes, 192628, spenglers morphology of history was the great intellectual achievement of our century. The new relevance of oswald spengler prophet of decline. Spengler wrote prolifically, but his best known work was variously translated as decline of the west, or as my pdf copy says, decline of the occident, which gives some insight into his specific worldviews at a time when he and much of europe was preoccupied with the fate of european dominance. The decline of the west by spengler, oswald, 18801936.
Pdf oswald spengler and the decline of the west, in. When the decline of the west was published in the summer of 1918, it was a wild success. Publication date 1926 topics iiit collection digitallibraryindia. Reflections on spengler allow for the thought that his own biography is an eloquent metaphor for one of the most. Oswald spengler, german philosopher whose reputation rests entirely on the decline of the west 2 vol. Oswald spengler, the decline of the west 1922 oswald spengler 18801936 was a german historian and philosopher who is perhaps best known as the author of the decline of the west, which was written before wwi but was not published until 1917.
There is hardly a book written in the past 150 years that can surpass spenglers decline of the west in the depth of understanding, interpreting and explaining the logic behind cultural phenomena and its relationship to the historical development of civilizations in general. He was a high school teacher who took early retirement. Duchesne, oswald spengler and the faustian soul of the west 5 speakers was already unique and quite innovative in initiating the most mobile way of life in prehistoric times, starting with. For those who dont know about spengler, that yt video is a terrible intro to the man and his works. Even though it has been virtually forgotten in modern times, its. Oswald spenglers 191822 bestseller the decline of the west mourned the engulfing of kultur by the cosmopolitan anthill of zivilisation and argued that only a dictatorship could arrest the decline. What is the main focus oswald spengler is trying to get across in the decline of the west. Spengler chooses several civilizations, or cultures, and proceeds to. The national humiliation of the treaty of versailles 1919 and later the economic depression around 1923 fueled by hyperinflation seemed to prove spengler right.
English abridged edition prepared by arthur helps from the translation by charles francis atkinson. The decline of the west is the magnum opus of oswald spengler 18801936, a german historian and philosopher. This is an excellent video that puts decay, corruption, globalism, decadence, materialism and useless destructive multiculturalism in a larger perspective. Spengler chooses several civilizations, or cultures, and proceeds to show how each was born, developed. In all its various editions, it has sold nearly 100,000 copies. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Oswald spengler the decline of the west, volume one. Oswald spenglers the decline of the west was a huge international bestseller after the first world war for reasons that will become obvious, and for reasons that may be just as much so, spengler considered his theories prophetic and completely justified given that he started this book in 1911 before the shit totally hit the fan. Even though it has been virtually forgotten in modern times, its bold predictions for the western world have withstood the test of time and even been strengthened by its passage. And, like gibbon and michelet, he was the voice of an age. Oswald spenglers the decline of the west was and still is a controversial book. Oswald spengler and the decline of the west scihi blog. Spengler oswald the decline of the west pdf topics decline of the west, death of the west, oswald spengler, worldhistory.
Conceived just before 1911 and written during world war i, it was published a few months before germany signed the armistice in 1918 that would lead to its eventual calamities within the weimar republic and. His masterpiece was published in 1918 as well as 1922 and spengler face a wide ranged criticism. The definitive edition of both volumes was published in 1923. Yet his book was profoundly popular and influential for decades. Oswald spengler, the decline of the west 1922 oswald spengler, the decline of the west 1922 oswald spengler 18801936 was a german historian and philosopher who is perhaps best known as the author of the decline of the west, which was written before wwi but was not published until 1917. Oswald spengler, author of the decline of the west 1918. Open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form.
An interbellum german intellectuals work is a powerful warning to americans about the perils of our interventionist foreignpolicy trajectory. The decline of the west is one of the most important works of the 20th century, and perhaps of all time. Knopf, 1918 spengler s preface to the first edition the complete manuscript of this book the outcome of three years work was ready when the great war broke out. Patrick buchanans bestselling the death of the west, for example, is a strikingly faithful recapitulation of spenglers warnings in the hour of decision. But i did notice at the time that spengler had a chapter on mathematics quite at the beginning of vol. He believed that the west had already passed through the creative stage of culture and that the future could only be a period of irreversible decline. His masterpiece was published in 1918 as well as 1922 and spengler face a. Oswald arnold gottfried spengler 29 may 1880 8 may 1936 was a german historian and philosopher of history whose interests included mathematics, science, and art. Oswald spengler project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. There is hardly a book written in the past 150 years that can surpass spengler s decline of the west in the depth of understanding, interpreting and explaining the logic behind cultural phenomena and its relationship to the historical development of civilizations in general. Decline of the west oswald spengler a wellformatted version based on the alfred a. Complete summary of oswald spengler s the decline of the west. A twentiethcentury cassandra, oswald spengler thoroughly probed the origin and fate of our civilization, and the result can be and has been read as a. Spengler was not a professor or professional historian.
In the decline of the west, oswald spengler argued that. The decline of the west npr coverage of the decline of the west by oswald spengler, helmut werner, arthur, sir helps, and charles francis atkinson. Publication date c1918 topics civilization history. Mar 27, 2017 since its first publication in two volumes between 19181923, the decline of the west has ranked as one of the most widely read and most talked about books of our time. An interbellum german intellectuals work is a powerful warning to americans about the perils of. Oswald spengler, one of the most controversial historians of this century, was born in blankenburg, germany in 1880 and died in munich in 1936. First, oswald spengler authored several articles in magazines and newspapers culture sections and started working on the decline of the west in 1911. Spengler wrote prolifically, but his best known work was variously translated as decline of the west, or as my pdf copy says, decline of the occident, which gives some insight into his specific worldviews at a time when he and much of europe was preoccupied with the fate of. Editions of the decline of the west by oswald spengler. The first volume, subtitled form and actuality, was published in the summer of 1918. His primary training was in mathematics but he also had a vast understanding in the natural sciences as well.
The decline of the west by oswald spengler an abridged edition by helmut werner english abridged edition prepared by arthur helps from the translation by charles francis atkinson new york. Oswald spengler 18801936 is considered by some as one of the greatest thinkers of the weimar republic. Form and actuality oswald spengler, charles francis atkinson on. I surfed it a bit, considered it pretty heavy and indigestible cake, but made a mental note to look at it more carefully when i had the leisure. Spengler revised this volume in 1922 and published the second volume, subtitled perspectives of world history, in 1923.
In it, spengler rejects the idea that the future of the west or indeed of any culture is an openended advance from the primitive past to an ever more glorious and expansive future. The decline of the west by oswald spengler translated from the german by charles francis atkinson new york. The work became wellknown in the wake of german military defeat and especially after the treaty of. The decline of the west by oswald spengler, paperback.
Sociologist max weber hoped for charismatic leadership to overcome bureaucracy. He was the son of a postal official and attended munich, berlin and halle universities. His work the decline of the west argues that the development of civilizations follows a recognizable series of repetitive rises and falls. Oswald spengler the decline of the west oswald spengler may 29, 1880 may 8, 1936 was a german philosopher and mathematician. Oswald spengler 18801936 was born in blankenburg, germany. The second volume, subtitled perspectives of world history, was published in 1922. Stuart hughes is professor of history, emeritus, at the university of california at san diego. The decline of the west work by spengler britannica. Since its first publication in two volumes between 19181923, the decline of the west has ranked as one of the most widely read and most talked about books of our time. It opened the new field of comparative world history.
Like gibbon and michelet, he had no formal training, but he had passion, a gift for turning a phrase, and a modest income, which afforded him time for study and reflection. The title of the book, the decline of the west, suggests its central thesis that spengler wants to show that his culture, western culture, has passed its cultural stage, has entered upon its stage of civilization and is living out its ending. Oswald spengler 18801936 was one of the last great voices of literary history. The decline of the west, 1922 the future of the west is not a limitless tending upwards and onwards for all time towards our presents ideals, but a single phenomenon of history, strictly limited and defined as to form and duration, which covers a few centuries nd can be viewed and, in essentials, calculated from available. Read in this country chiefly in the brilliantly faithful translation by charles francis atkinson, the decline of the west new york, two volumes, 192628, spengler s morphology of history was the great intellectual achievement of our century. Spenglers civilization model explains why everything is rotting before our eyes and why things are going down.
1306 416 1234 660 762 978 555 671 589 311 201 39 777 295 233 1193 61 611 363 118 119 1351 1231 451 127 941 341 881 1197 1085 171