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.

Pseudomorphosis

The concept of pseudomorphosis is one that Spengler introduces as a way of explaining what are in his eyes half-developed or only partially manifested Cultures. Specifically pseudomorphosis entails an older alien Culture so deeply ingrained in a land that a young Culture can not achieve a pure expression of itself. This leads to the young soul being cast in the old moulds, in Spengler's words. Young feelings then stiffen in senile practices, and instead of expanding creatively, it fosters hate toward the other older Culture.

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Spengler believes that pseudomorphosis began with the Battle of Actium. Here the gestating Arabian Culture lost to the Classical Civilization. He asserts that it should have been Antony who won. The battle was not the struggle of Rome and Greece that came there to an issue?that struggle had been fought out at Cannae and Zama, where it was Hannibal who stood as champion for Hellenism. Antony?s victory would have freed the Magian Culture, but his defeat imposed Roman Civilization on the young Culture.

Related Topics:
Battle of Actium - Antony - Cannae - Hannibal

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In Russia as well, another area Spengler classifies as part of the Magian Culture, he sees a pseudomorphosis as having occurred. Peter the Great distorted the tsarism of Russia to the dynastic form of Western Europe. The burning of Moscow, as Napoleon was set to invade, he sees as an primitive expression of hatred toward the foreigner. This was soon followed by the entry of Alexander I into Paris, the Holy Alliance and the Concert of Europe. Here Russia was forced into an artificial history before its Culture was ready or capable of understanding its burden. This would result in a hatred directed toward Europe, a hatred which Spengler argues poisoned the womb of Magian Culture in Russia.

Related Topics:
Peter the Great - Tsar - Western Europe - Moscow - Napoleon - Alexander I - Paris - Holy Alliance - Concert of Europe

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