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Social and Political Thought of Julius Evola

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Social and Political Thought of Julius Evola Social and Political Thought of Julius Evola Julius Evola’s writing covered a vast range of subjects, from a distinctive and categorical ideological outlook, and has been extremely influential on a sig- nificant number of extreme-right thinkers, activists and organisations. This book is the first full-length study in English to present his political thought to a wider audience, beyond that of his followers and sympathisers, and to bring into the open the study of a neglected strand of contemporary Western thought, that of traditionalism. Evola deserves more attention because he is an influential writer. His following comes from an important if largely ignored political movement: activists and commentators whose political positions are, like his, avowedly traditionalist, authoritarian, anti-modern, anti-democratic and anti-liberal. With honour- able exceptions, contemporary academic study tends to treat these groups as a minority within a minority, a sub-species of Fascism, from whom they are held to derive their ideas and their support. This work seeks to bring out more clearly the complexity of Evola’s post-war strategy, so as to explain how he can be adopted both by the neo-fascist groups committed to violence, and by groups such as the European New Right, whose approach is more aimed at influence from within liberal democracies. Furlong also recognises the relevance of Evola’s ideas to anti-globalisation arguments, including a re-examination of his arguments for detachment and spontaneism (apolitia). This work will be of great interest to students and scholars of political theory, international relations and fascism. Paul Furlong is Professor of European Studies at Cardiff University. He has written on Italian politics, European politics and methods in political science. Routledge studies in extremism and democracy Series Editors: Roger Eatwell, University of Bath, and Matthew Goodwin, University of Nottingham. Founding Series Editors: Roger Eatwell, University of Bath, and Cas Mudde, University of Antwerp-UFSIA. This new series encompasses academic studies within the broad fields of ‘extremism’ and ‘democracy’. These topics have traditionally been considered largely in isolation by academics. A key focus of the series, therefore, is the (inter-)relation between extremism and democracy. Works will seek to answer questions such as to what extent ‘extremist’ groups pose a major threat to democratic parties, or how democracy can respond to extremism without undermining its own democratic credentials. The books encompass two strands: Routledge Studies in Extremism and Democracy includes books with an introductory and broad focus which are aimed at students and teachers. These books will be available in hardback and paperback. Titles include: Understanding Terrorism in America From the Klan to al Qaeda Christopher Hewitt Fascism and the Extreme Right Roger Eatwell Racist Extremism in Central and Eastern Europe Edited by Cas Mudde Political Parties and Terrorist Groups (2nd Edition) Leonard Weinberg, Ami Pedahzur and Arie Perliger The New Extremism in 21st Century Britain Edited by Roger Eatwell and Matthew Goodwin Routledge Research in Extremism and Democracy offers a forum for innovative new research intended for a more specialist readership. These books will be in hardback only. Titles include: 1. Uncivil Society? Contentious Politics in Post-Communist Europe Edited by Petr Kopecky and Cas Mudde 2. Political Parties and Terrorist Groups Leonard Weinberg and Ami Pedahzur 3. Western Democracies and the New Extreme Right Challenge Edited by Roger Eatwell and Cas Mudde 4. Confronting Right Wing Extremism and Terrorism in the USA George Michael 5. Anti-Political Establishment Parties A comparative analysis Amir Abedi 6. American Extremism History, politics and the militia D. J. Mulloy 7. The Scope of Tolerance Studies on the costs of free expression and freedom of the press Raphael Cohen-Almagor 8. Extreme Right Activists in Europe Through the magnifying glass Bert Klandermans and Nonna Mayer 9. Ecological Politics and Democratic Theory Mathew Humphrey 10. Reinventing the Italian Right Territorial politics, populism and ‘post-Fascism’ Carlo Ruzza and Stefano Fella 11. Political Extremes An investigation into the history of terms and concepts from antiquity to the present Uwe Backes 12. The Populist Radical Right in Poland The patriots Rafal Pankowski 13. Social and Political Thought of Julius Evola Paul Furlong Social and Political Thought of Julius Evola Paul Furlong First published 2011 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2011. To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk. © 2011 Paul Furlong The right of Paul Furlong to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patent Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Furlong, Paul. Social and political thought of Julius Evola / Paul Furlong. p. cm. - - (Extremism and democracy) Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Political science- -Philosophy. 2. Evola, Julius, 1898-1974- -Political and social views. I. Title. JA71.F88 2011 320.092- -dc22 2010050310 ISBN 0-203-81691-9 Master e-book ISBN ISBN13: 978-0-415-58968-0 (hbk) ISBN13: 978-0-203-81691-2 (ebk) Contents Preface viii 1 Introduction: Evola in context 1 2 Magic, idealism and the need for the absolute 23 3 Tradition and history 37 4 ‘A rigorous political doctrine’ 53 5 Nations, nationalism, empire and Europe 74 6 The strategy for the right: Men and ruins 87 7 Race, sex and anti-Semitism 113 8 Conclusion: Evola and modern conservatism 134 Notes 155 Bibliography 166 Index 171 Preface In this work, I discuss the writings of Julius Evola. My concern is with his texts, with what he wrote and how we can understand it, with how it makes sense and how it does not. Though the focus is on the texts, of which there are many, we cannot make sense of his writings, with what they tell us about his beliefs, desires and intentions, without reference to how his thought relates to the wider historical, cultural and political context in which he lived, and to some of the issues raised by differing interpretations of him. One of my pur- poses in this is to introduce his thought to a wider audience, and thereby to subject it potentially to more critical scrutiny than it has hitherto received. I argue that there ought to be a wider reception for his work merely than those who agree with him to a greater or lesser extent. In particular, because of the increasing use made of his work, it is important for other readers to be able to subject his work to critical scrutiny, because of his emblematic importance for what we can loosely term ‘the far right’ with which they might disagree fundamentally. Because of his reputation, because of his known links with fascist and Nazi ideologues, because of his published views and the use made of him by the radical anti-democratic right, Evola’s work has not been subject to significant academic scrutiny in English until recently. Outside the circles of the radical right, with some exceptions, he has not been taken ser- iously: partly because of the neglect of his work by academic political theor- ists, he has been regarded within the radical right with generally uncritical acceptance, though as we will discuss later, there are disputes within that family about his status. This study is intended to contribute to a more critical and open evaluation of Evola’s work than has previously been possible. Those who agree with him may find little here to interest them. His reception outside Italy has been restricted to some extent to those who already have similar values and are seeking a deeper understanding of what they intuitively hold to be true and good. My understanding of his work is unlikely to be close to theirs. Insofar as he has had a wider audience, he has generally been treated as one element in the intellectual history of the far right in Europe, rather than as a thinker worth considering in his own right. I would certainly concur that his responses to the major issues he dealt with tell us much about the history of fascism and Preface ix about the neglected history and development of the far right in the decades after 1945. In that sense he is a source for our understanding of European political culture from the 1920s to the present day. In his own right, as it were, he also raises important questions about the nature of modernity, about the role of the state and about personal morality in political action. My study originates from my concern to fill the obvious gap resulting from the lack of a full-length study in English of his political thought. In doing this, I seek to explain his work within its cultural and political context, to describe what he wrote, to seek to explain what he meant, and to show the implications of this both for the history of political thought and for the development of political ideas and argument.
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