THE CREATIVE ACTIVITY OF OSWALD SPENGLER AND HIS ATTITUDE TO IDEOLOGY FASCISM AND NATIONAL-SOCIALISM

Abstract

The purpose of the research: an analysis of the basic conceptual foundations of the creative work of the German philosopher Oswald Spengler, his attitude to ideology and the leaders of Italian fascism and German National-socialism; an analysis of the influence of the philosopher’s thoughts on the formation of the state-building position of National-socialism. The research methodology is based on the principles of historicism, a systematic approach, a scientific approach, a verifying approach, the author’s objectivity, a moderate narrative constructivism, as well as the use of general scientific (analysis, synthesis, generalization) and special-historical methods. One of the methods is biographical, which made it possible to evaluate and determine the influence of O. Spengler on the formation of the ideology of radical Western European nationalist movements of the early XX century. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that for the first time in Ukrainian historiography, on the basis of the analysis of the works of O. Spengler and their interpretation by domestic historians, study out the influence of the philosopher on the formation of the ideology of German National-socialism. Conclusions. For some time, O. Spengler’s creativity was positively perceived by the Nazis, because he wrote about the division of peoples / nations into elected and subordinate. He believed that socialism was characterized by the absorption of individuality and its dissolution in the general human mass. In socialist ideas dominated discipline, a solid state order, a strong hierarchy of power. The publications of the philosopher contributed to the justification of certain aspects of the ideology of national-socialism: the ideas of «socialism», «Fuhrer», Germany’s leadership among European countries, the historical peculiarities of the German nation, its militant, aggressive character, the combination of the Prussian spirit (nationalism) and socialism. O. Spengler’s views played a significant role in preparing German society for the perception of Nazi ideology and the theorists of the «new regime», despite the difficult relations of the philosopher with the National Socialists, appreciated his spiritual heritage.