NIETZSCHE AND THE FATE OF GERMAN POLITICS

As the German historian Golo Mann remarked, Bismarck's Germany was founded not on lofty principles of political philosophy, as was the case with the foundation of the American union, but on brutal pragmatism. The foundation of the German Reich was not preceded by profound philosophical deliberations on the nature of man and society, but by wars, annexations, alliances, and a customs parliament set up by blackmail. Bismarck came to power by announcing that he was opposing the politics of ‘speeches and resolutions’ with a polity of ‘iron and blood’.

Nietzsche wrote his books and espoused his Dionysian philosophy during the years of Bismarck's Germany. He was seventeen when Bismarck came to power, and he descended into madness a year before the Iron Chancellor was dismissed from office. His education at Schulpforta was a classical liberal one.