The essential components of The Decline of the West are simple and straightforward. He followed the intuitive path rather than the scientific, and insisted on seeing things as they are, calling this manner of seeing reality the ‘physiogmatic’ approach. Using this approach, Spengler formulated his postulates.
In doing so:
- He rejected the ‘linear’ view of history in favour of the ‘cyclical’. This approach, thus discarded the theory of ‘linear’ progression—from lower to higher, like rungs on an evolutionary ladder. The progression of Western history from Ancient-to-Medieval-to-Modern was not acceptable to him. He regarded it as an ‘incredibly jejune and meaningless scheme’ and attempted to replace it by the notion of History as moving in definite, observable and unrelated cycles.
- He suggested that the cyclical movements of history be examined at the level of ‘High Cultures’ or Civilizations. He identified eight such ‘high cultures’: the Indian, the Babylonian, the Egyptian, the Chinese, the Mexican (Mayan-Aztec), the Arabian (or ‘Magian’), the Classical (Greece and Rome), and the European-Western. According to Spengler, each High Culture has a ‘prime symbol’ which distinguishes it from others. It influences everything in the culture. Each culture has an art form that is most representative of its own symbol. The prime symbol of Egyptian culture, for example, was the Way‘ or ‘Path‘, which can be seen in ancient Egyptian religion, art, and architecture. The prime symbol of the Classical culture was the ‘point-present‘ concern, that is, the fascination with the nearby, the small, the ‘space‘ of immediate and logical visibility, as is evident in Euclidean geometry and the two-dimensional style of Classical painting and relief-sculpture—the lack of facial expression of Grecian busts and statues signifies that there was nothing behind or beyond the outward. Similarly, Spengler identified the prime symbol of Western culture as the ‘Faustian Soul symbolizing the upward reaching for nothing less than the Infinite’. It is exemplified by Gothic architecture.
- Regarding High Cultures as ‘living’ things, Spengler argued that they must pass through the lifecycle of birth–development–fulfillment–decay and death. He asserted that all previous cultures have passed through these distinct stages, and that Western culture would be no exception. It is in this sense that he predicted the ‘Decline of the West’—the title of his monograph. Elaborating this point, Spengler said that the high-water mark of a High Culture is its phase of fulfillment, called the ‘culture’ phase. The beginning of decline and decay in a Culture is the transition point between its ‘culture’ phase and the ‘civilization’ phase that inevitably follows. Drastic social upheavals, mass movements, incessant wars and constant crises are witnessed in the ‘civilization’ phase. All this takes place along with the growth of the great ‘megalopolis’—huge urban and suburban centres—that sap the surrounding countryside of its vitality, strength and soul. The inhabitants of these urban conglomerates are a rootless, soulless, godless and materialistic mass. From these come the sub-human fellaheen, who aide the process of the dyingout of a culture.
With civilization, Spengler associates the power of money and the politics of democracy, combined with the increasing role of the Press and the media. The common man in due course of time becomes disgusted with money-power and revolts against the dictatorship of money. But in this chaos, the great people take power in to their hands—bringing the conclusion of the civilization phase and ushering in an era of ‘Ceasarism’. The advent of the Caesars marks the return of Authority and Duty, of Honor and ‘Blood’, and the end of democracy and the setting in of the imperialistic stage of civilization. In this phase, the megalopolises begin to depopulate and people return to the ‘soil tasks’, as did their ancestors. Against this background, the dying of the culture and the civilization it created is played out.
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