The Decline of the West

The Decline of the West (German: Der Untergang des Abendlandes) is a two-volume work by Oswald Spengler, the first volume of which was published in the summer of 1918. Spengler revised this volume in 1922 and published the second volume, subtitled Perspectives of World History, in 1923.

Overview

Scholars now agree that the word "decline" more accurately renders Spengler's intended meaning, as opposed to the original German word "Untergang." Spengler would explain that he did not mean to describe a catastrophic occurrence, but rather a protracted fall—a twilight or sunset. "Untergang" can be interpreted in both manners, and after the Second World War, most critics and scholars chose to read it in the cataclysmic sense.

Related Topics:
German - Twilight - Second World War - Cataclysm

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Spengler?s world-historical outlook is informed by two philosophers, Goethe and Nietzsche, the former more than the latter. His analytical approach is that of ?Analogy. By these means we are enabled to distinguish polarity and periodicity in the world.?

Related Topics:
Philosopher - Goethe - Nietzsche - Analogy - Polarity

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Spengler's Cultures

Spengler lists eight High Cultures that have existed:

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• Babylonian
• Egyptian
• Chinese / Confucian-Taoist
• Indian / Brahmanic
• Aztec / Mayan
• Hellenic / Classical / Apollonian
• Magian / Arabian
• Faustian / Western

Note: terms separated by a slash Spengler uses interchangeably (perhaps erroneously in retrospect).

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Phases of rise and decline

:Main article: Spengler's civilization model

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Spring: Intuition, powerful cultural creation from awakening souls, unity and abundance.

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:*Religion: Birth of a grand myth signifying a new conception of God. Fear and longing for the world. Earliest metaphysical organization of the world. High scholasticism.

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:*Art: Religous art considered as an integrated part of religious devotion. Gothic cathedrals, Doric tempels.

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:*Politics: Feudalism, warrior aristocracies.

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Summer: Maturing consciousness. Earliest urban-civil socity and critical thought.

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:*Religion: Reformation: revolt of the religious moderates against the early religion. Beginnings of a purely philosophical movement. Contrasting idealistic and realistic systems. Mathematical breakthroughs leading to a new conception of the world. Rationalism. The depletion of mysticism from religion.

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:*Art:

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:*Politics: Absolutist states. Conflicts betwen aristocracy and monarchy. The political centre shifts from castles and estates to the cities.

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Fall: Urban rise. High point of disciplined organizational strength.

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:*Religion: Faith in the omnipotence of rationality. Cult of Nature. The height of mathematical thought. The last idealists. Theories of knowledge and logic.

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:*Art:

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:*Politics: Struggles between the aristocracy and the bourgeoisie. Revolutions. Napoleonism.

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Winter: Coming fissure in the world-urban civilization. Exhaustion of mental organization strength. Irreligiousness rises.

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:*Religion: Materialism: Cults of science, utility, and luck. Ethical-social ideals: philosophy without mathematics, scepticism. The last mathematical thinkers. Decline of abstract thinkers, and the rise of specialized academic philosophy. Spred of the last ideas.

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:*Art: End of symbolic art. All art becomes meaningless subjects of fashion.

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:*Politics: Democracy, the rule of the rich, followed by ceasarism and bureaucracy.

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