Men Among the Ruins

Julius Evola's masterful overview of the political and social manifestations of our time, the "age of decline" known to the Hindus as the Kali Yuga. • Reveals the occult war that underlies the crises that have become a prevailing feature of modern life. • Includes H. T. Hansen's definitive essay on Evola's political life and theory. Men Among the Ruins is Evola's frontal assault on the predominant materialism of our time and the mirage of progress. For Evola and other proponents of Traditionalism, we are now living in an age of increasing strife and chaos: the Kali Yuga of the Hindus or the Germanic Ragnarok. In such a time, social decadence is so widespread that it appears as a natural component of all political institutions. Evola argues that the crises that dominate the daily lives of our societies are part of a secret occult war to remove the support of spiritual and traditional values in order to turn man into a passive instrument of the powerful. Evola is often regarded as the godfather of contemporary Italian fascism and right-wing radical politics, but attentive examination of the historical record--as provided by H. T. Hanson's definitive introduction--reveals Evola to be a much more complex figure. Though he held extreme right-wing views, he was a fearless critic of the Fascist regime and preferred a caste system based on spirituality and intellect to the biological racism championed by the Nazis. Ultimately, he viewed the forces of history as comprised by two factions: "history's demolition squad" enslaved by blind faith in the future and those individuals whose watchword is Tradition. These latter stand in this world of ruins at a higher level and are capable of letting go of what needs to be abandoned in order that what is truly essential not be compromised.

A controversial philosopher and critic of modern Western civilization, Julius Evola (1898-1974) wrote widely on Eastern religions, alchemy, sexuality, politics, and mythology. Inner Traditions has published his Eros and the Mysteries of Love: The Metaphysics of Sex, The Yoga of Power, The Hermetic Tradition, Revolt Against the Modern World, The Mystery of the Grail and Ride The Tiger.

Men Among the Ruins Post-War Reflections of a Radical Traditionalist Introduction: "Julius Evola's Political Endeavors" by Dr. H. T. Hansen 1. Revolution -- Counter-revolution -- Tradition 2. Sovereignty -- Authority -- Imperium 3. Personality -- Freedom -- Hierarchy 4. Organic State -- Totalitarianism 5. Bonapartism -- Machiavellianism -- Elitism 6. Work -- The Demonic Nature of the Economy 7. History -- Historicism 8. Choice of Traditions 9. Military Style -- Militarism -- War 10. Tradition -- Catholicism -- Ghibellinism 11. Realism -- Communism -- Anti-bourgeoisie 12. Economy and Politics -- Corporations -- Work Units 13. Occult War -- Weapons of the Occult War 14. Latin Character -- Roman World -- Mediterranean Soul 15. The Problem of Births 16. Form and Presuppositions of a United Europe Appendix: Evola's Autodifesa (Self-Defense Statement)