Friedrich Nietzsche: 19th Century Context and Philosophical Influences

Friedrich Nietzsche: 19th Century Context and Philosophy

Historical and Cultural Context

Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophy emerged during the turbulent 19th century, a period defined by rapid industrialization, social upheaval, and the consolidation of European power.

Political Landscape

The political sphere witnessed the triumph of the bourgeoisie over the proletariat, especially following the revolutions of 1848. This era saw the restoration of the monarchy and the consolidation of major European states (England, Germany, France, Italy).

Significant political milestones include:

• Napoleon's death (1821)
• The American Civil War (1861–1865)
• The foundation of the International Workers' Association (First International) (1864)

Socioeconomic Conditions

Socially, the defining feature was the confrontation between the owning class, which controlled the means of production, and the working class. The bourgeoisie enjoyed one of its most prosperous historical moments, while rural populations and workers in mines and factories lived in subhuman conditions. This period was marked by a huge population explosion, governed by conservatism and the Victorian morality imposed by the ruling class.

Key social developments:

• Foundation of the International Red Cross (1864)
• Abolition of Slavery in the United States (1865)
• The Manifestation of May 1st (1866)

In economic terms, the era saw the consolidation of industrial capitalism and a remarkable expansion of European imperialism in Asia and Africa.

Cultural and Scientific Milestones

Culturally, the 19th century was characterized by continuous scientific breakthroughs, including:

• Thermal power
• The steam engine
• The telegraph
• Anesthesia and vaccines

In 1859, Charles Darwin published his revolutionary evolutionist thesis, The Origin of Species.

Artistic movements:

• Literature: Realism triumphed with authors like Dickens, Flaubert, Zola, and Tolstoy, alongside the Symbolism of Baudelaire, Rimbaud, and Verlaine. The Romantic movement still retained some influence.
• Painting: The emergence of the Impressionist movement.
• Music: Success of composers such as Wagner, Debussy, Chopin, and Berlioz.

Nietzsche's Philosophical Influences and Critiques

Nietzsche's thought, apart from being inspired by the music of Richard Wagner and drawing heavily from Greek sources, was primarily defined by his engagement with Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel and Arthur Schopenhauer.

Critique of Hegel

Nietzsche collected from Hegel, in a sense, the logic of contradiction that attributes value to becoming and evolution. However, Nietzsche charged Hegel with:

• Serving as a support for Christianity through a “theology disguised as philosophy.”
• Identifying the real and the rational, thereby undermining the inclusion of the negative (error and evil) within the totalitarian character of being.

Engagement with Schopenhauer

Nietzsche criticized Schopenhauer's passive nihilism—a posture of denial and contempt for life. Despite this critique, Nietzsche developed his own concept of the Eternal Return (Ewige Wiederkunft), which posits that everything, including our lives, will repeat exactly the same way for all eternity in successive cosmic cycles. This concept stands in stark contrast to Schopenhauer's denial of the will to live.