The Spirit of War

Metaphysics of War by Julius Evola
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What is war these days? Is it something to be glorified like it was in the past? Or rather should we say screw the fools who think it glorious? In the past war was fought with swords, knives and hands. War was waged by the elite. These days war is fought with planes, tanks and bombs and everyone except the rich gets in the mix. In the past war was considered glorious, to die on the battlefield was an honor. Today we think only fools would choose top die in battle, after all why be a tool for the rich.

Julius Evola was an Italian writer, who penned his idea during World War I, the interim between the World Wars and World War II. He went though stages of admiring fascism and Nazism. He eventually became disillusioned with them. But he still holds some racial views that I find disagreeable. He does not profess any admiration for communism, which puts the running of society into the hands of workers or slaves as he calls, or democratic capitalism which put power in the hands of the petty merchants.

Evola wanted to restore the glory and folk soul of Europe and he believed that reviving Ancient traditions held the key to such. Ancient Europe was antithetical to communism and democracy. His ideal society was one based on the indo-European model where in the Brahmins (Spiritual Leaders) ran society and then subordinate to that came the warrior class, merchants and finally the slaves. Evola believed that society should be based on spiritual values.

One of those values was war. Whether fighting and remaining victorious or dying in battle, he believed that in living in a society of spiritual values, war could lead to transcendence, uniting mind and spirit to reach enlightenment. HE believed in fighting for a spiritual cause.

To support his contention he describes war in such various cultures as the Norse, Persian, Indian, Romans and Muslims. I these cultures there is the concept that he who fights in battle earns merit and holiness. If one dies in battle then the dead warrior experiences immortality in Paradise and maybe called upon to fight again in spiritual battles involving the dark and the light. War could reveal your higher nature. The book is loaded with more details which a skimpy review cannot delve into.

The author does look down on certain groups, like the Jews and other minorities, as being connected to slaves or the bourgeoisie. However when he talks about grouping people by morals and soul, I would find that agreeable if only he left the racism out.


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