PAOLA  TURCONI

Spengler e la critica contemporanea (per un bilancio storiografico degli interpreti di lingua tedesca)

N.3/1986

Summary — The first reactions brought about among critics by the work "Der Untergang des Abendlandes" when it was published, were mostly of a negative nature. In fact, the work was analysed, even if not always thoroughly, with reference to the numerous problems dealt with by Spengler, and generally denied on the ground of a non-scientific validity, particularly in the historical-morphological and philosophical field.

With the end of World War II a shifting occurred of the critics’ attention from the historical-morphological aspect to a detailed analysis of the thesis of the sunset of the West put forward by Spengler. Just in this respect, the modern critique draws up the study of "Der Untergang des Abendlandes" in close relation to the historical-political-economic and social contemporary context, seeking to grasp those truthful elements, either because already occurred or easily foreseeable, treated by Spengler in his work.

Although giving rise to contrasting judgments in the critics’ environment, one can affirm that from the last studies dedicated to Spengler, the possibility has been brought to light of a reappraisal of some aspects of his work, on account of the contribution given by the a. to modern social critique.