Politics and Ideology

Table of Contents

Brief Biography Political Influences Martin Heidegger and Edmund Husserl Martin Heidegger and Nazism People, Mission, Destiny: An Ideology People and Growth The German Spiritual Regeneration The Nature Of Inner Collection The Role of The School in Inner Collection The Platonic Leadership The English and German Ways Self-Sacrifice: The German Spiritual Mission

Technology and Nihilism Volkisch Totalitarianism

Full name

Martin Heidegger

Born

September 26, 1889 Baden-Wrttemberg, Germany

School

University of Freiburg (1909-1911) Studied: Theology Completed Doctoral Degree on Psychologism (1914) Studied: Philosophy

School

Served as a soldier during World War I.

He was chosen to hold an office of extraordinary professorship in 1923 in University of Marburg.

He retired in 1928 and stayed at the University of Freiburg for the rest of his life. He died on May 26, 1976 at the age of 86.

The Nazi dictatorship culminated when Adolf Hitler suspended all civil liberalities when a building named Reichstag was bombed on February 27, 1933.

Hitler rashly suspected the communists for the bombing. Several communist were arrested and placed in concentration camps. Hitler became very strong because he acquired all powers including those of the law-making body.

The relationship of the two was damaged by controversies and ideological issues. Husserl worked out his philosophy in the context of phenomenology which emphasizes the importance of human existence as lived in day-to-day context. The eventual breakup of their friendship terminated on May 1, 1933 when Heidegger who was already the rector of the University of Heidegger joined the National Socialist Movement.

Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism (German: Nationalsozialismus) was the belief and practice of the National Socialist German Workers' Party (otherwise known as the Nazi Party).

The relation between the philosopher Martin Heidegger and the Nazi Party is a controversial subject.

Martin Heidegger joined the Nazi Party on May 1, 1933, nearly three weeks after being appointed Rector of the University of Freiburg. Heidegger resigned the rectorship about one year later, in April 1934, but remained a member of the Party until the end of World War II.
His first act as Rector was to eliminate all democratic structures, including those that had elected him Rector. There were book burnings on his campus, some of which he successfully stopped, as well as some student violence.

Heideggers political ideology is taken in the perspective of history within which he was active. Common in all his speeches were the terms:
Volk (people) Believe that should be collected into one that would be
in control of the destiny. Aufrag (mission) The German community in the midst of a struggle Schicksal (destiny) - Fate

The ground of this was the so-called

Volksgemeinschaft (peoples community).

Volk was considered an organism: an organic whole evolving in time. The idea about people was regarded to be a competition: the weaker ones gave way to the stronger ones. This was an affirmation of Darwinism which claimed that the evolution is ascending. Ascension means a change for the best and takes place as nature develops. According to Kant, A maxim is a rule. Everything in nature happens according to rules (called the laws of nature).

As Germans ascended, nations in Europe, particularly France and England, declined, they were overthrown. So it was natural then that the German race became influential and strong. Hence racism became the core of the social structure. Heideggers political ideology of the Germans finding their own identity was fulfilled through spiritual regeneration an inner change.

Innerlichkeit (inner collection) a change of

thinking and behaving the Volk should be involved in it.

Heideggers ideology aims to rediscover the historical destiny of Germany.

Spiritual leadership starts with the self; it is inward rather the outward. The opposite is taught by the British and the Americans.

It is in the school that the Volk imbibe the true essence of history and destiny. Heidegger believes that everything can be possible if people are conditioned first in school.

The beginning of the task starts in it as the university is the home of spirituality. The task begins with teaching future leaders, den

Fuhrer zu Fuhren (to lead the leader).

For Plato, leadership must emanate from the philosopher-king or the wise and properly educated. Education is not a mere end but a means toward a further end. For Heidegger, it is not knowledge that administers what is supposed to be for the community of the people. The leadership of the people also starts with the leaders or the scholars of a university. As leaders of a university, they must be able to maintain academic and managerial powers to unite the fragmented departments. For Heidegger, the society should use Platonic leadership. People should be led not by the mere power of the leader or the iron of his fist, but by forms and the authentic grounding of being.

Many ideologues have commented that England and America give more importance to private interests. Germany would rather work as a people or as a nation. Private interest is subordinated by the will of the community as a whole. This contrasting English and German ways allow the world to know that the former are traders while the latter are heroes.

The German way of life is a package of self-sacrifice and endurance, duty of the nation, and defense of it as a community.

Heidegger wanted nothing of the German life but dedication and self-sacrifice, qualities he kept on reiterating so that the German spiritual mission would materialize.
For him, it is clear that the true meaning of life is in making a sacrifice fir the community rather than for the self.

Satisfaction can be achieved in ones life for the community. Only then can te world find its direction to the vision of Being.

Nihilism -

An extreme form of scepticism that denies all existence. A doctrine holding that all values are baseless and that nothing can be known or communicated.

Heidegger became an anti-modernist. He strongly argued that industrial technology brings nihilism to the world. Many considered technology as a project not only of the will of the person but also his intelligence. However, Catholic universities during that time made a policy for the university leaders to take an oath against modernism. He was one of the victims of this policy.

His breakup from Catholic philosophy plays a major role in steering the course of mankinds history. The so called loss of faith of Heideggers part was due to the papal belief that all aspects of mans life have to be controlled by the church, one he thought to be absurd.

Volkisch Totalitarianism Another term for Heideggers ideology - Requires a total subjection of the people - It is humane and is more likely uphold the integrity of the individual

For the people, it means leading their activities for the welfare of their own community. It means working together for the common good.

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CHAPTER 18