Nietzsche \"Twilight of the Idols\" Friedrich Nietzsche

Nietzsche "Twilight of the Idols"

Friedrich Nietzsche was a 19th century German Philosopher who did not shy away from either criticism or conflict with other philosophers. One example of this was Nietzsche's remarks on Rousseau, equality, and democracy. In Nietzsche's book Twilight of the Idols in the chapter entitled "Skirmishes of an Untimely Man," section 48 is devoted to Rousseau, and his idea of the natural equality of humans. (Nietzsche, 82-84) Nietzsche begins his rant by criticizing, in the most egregious terms, Rousseau and his idea of returning to nature. Nietzsche does not seem to know what Rousseau means by "nature," and must ask the question of him "…to what did Rousseau was to return?" (Nietzsche, 82-84) and answering this question by comparing Rousseau's state of nature to the violence and terror of the French Revolution.

The French Revolution was based upon the idea of equality; making everyone equal. Nietzsche viewed this as an unnatural attempt to make the shallow and mediocre of society the same as the great. And by raising the unworthy to a position of equality with their betters, the result was the great social upheavals and violence of the French Revolution. Nietzsche stated that the French Revolution's doctrine of equality "was surrounded by such gruesome and bloody events." (Nietzsche, 82-84)

The doctrine of equality, which Nietzsche called "poisonous poison" (Nietzsche, 82-84) was also considered by him as insincere in it's claim to represent justice, and in fact, actually promotes injustice. The German born philosopher felt that nature was ruthless and uncaring, and concepts of equality and justice should be defined in terms of simple nature. If two are unequal, then they are unequal, with the one with the advantage dominating the one without. To Nietzsche, this was justice, and attempts to aid those without an advantage was a way of inflicting an injustice upon those with advantages.

Nietzsche saw democracy in terms of both raising the unworthy, and in terms of lowering those who were great. Nietzsche's warning to those who promote Rousseau and his philosophy was "Never make equal what is unequal." (Nietzsche, 82-84) Democracy, Nietzsche asserted, raised the unworthy to the ranks of the power. In other words, the people's right to elect their leaders often leads to the most unworthy characters gaining power and ruining things for everyone. And by allowing the unworthy to gain power, the people then commit a great injustice against those who should run society; those which nature makes worthy of power.

Rousseau wrote that "The State of Nature has a law of nature to govern it, which obliges every one: and reason, which is that law. Teaches all mankind, who will but consult it, that being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions" (Locke, 271) While Nietzsche may have despised this as the philosophy of the weak promoting weakness, Rousseau would have reminded Nietzsche that the 99% of society should not have to obey the wishes of the 1%. That Nietzsche's philosophy did not take into account those who would be dominated by those he found "worthy," and that such an unjust distribution of power created an inherently unstable society.