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GUIDE TO THE PHILOSOPHY 1938 - 1947.pdf - Rare Books at ...

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<strong>THE</strong>ORY OF FASCISM 637<br />

in fact the goal ofevolution. "The Superman is the meaning<br />

of the earth. Let your will say: the Superman shall be the<br />

meaning of the earth! I conjure you, my brethren, remain<br />

true to the earth, and believe not those who speak unto you<br />

of super-earthly hopes! Poisoners arc they, whether they<br />

know it or not."<br />

Praise of War. Nietzsche's political doctrines are<br />

chiefly remarkable for their praise of war. Hegel, we have<br />

already seen, commended war because it emphasized<br />

the being and enhanced the power of the St<strong>at</strong>e. Nietzsche's<br />

advocacy of war is based partly upon ethical, partly upon<br />

racial grounds. The ethical ground is th<strong>at</strong>, since courage<br />

and the will to power are the outstanding virtues of the<br />

superior man, and since war calls for courage, strengthens<br />

the will to power and gives those who possess the will the<br />

chance to exercise power, it is war th<strong>at</strong> provides the<br />

superior man's higher qualities with scope for development;<br />

in war his superiority will be made manifest. The point is<br />

one whose importance Machiavelli was among<br />

the first<br />

to perceive. He informs Princes th<strong>at</strong> "they ought to make<br />

the art of war their sole duty and occup<strong>at</strong>ion, for it is<br />

peculiarly the science of those who govern". "If ye cannot<br />

be saints of knowledge," Nietzsche adds, "then I pray<br />

you, be <strong>at</strong> least its warriors. War and courage have done<br />

more gre<strong>at</strong> things than charity. Wh<strong>at</strong> is the good? ye ask.<br />

To be brave is good. Live your life of obedience and of<br />

war!"<br />

It does not seem to to have occurred to Nietzsche th<strong>at</strong><br />

people are sometimes hurt in war and th<strong>at</strong> pain is, presumably,<br />

to be deplored because it hinders the aggressor's<br />

will to power. 1 He often writes as if pain were in<br />

itself a good. Nietzsche further praises war because it<br />

braces n<strong>at</strong>ions th<strong>at</strong> grow weak and soft. Peace, prosperity<br />

and comfort breed evil humours in the body politic. War,<br />

is a purge th<strong>at</strong> clears them away. "For n<strong>at</strong>ions th<strong>at</strong> are<br />

growing* weak and contemptible/' Nietzsche wrote, "war<br />

1 See p. 633 above.

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