The Hour of Decision

<p>In <em>The Hour of Decision</em> Oswald Spengler portrays a brutally critical image of modern Western civilization. According to Spengler the West is destined for decay and heading towards its demise poisoned by excessive rationalism a lack of functioning hierarchies and widespread alienation. Spengler's observations are rooted in Germany during the interwar period a time characterized by political unrest and economic chaos.</p><p>It was clear to Spengler that the world following the imminent international showdown would hardly be recognizable. He regarded our era as the most fateful and serious in human history a phase in which the destiny of peoples and nations would be determined.</p><p><em>The Hour of Decision</em> (Jahre der Entscheidung) quickly became a commercial success when it was published in Germany in 1933. However it was later banned because Spengler criticized Nazi politics in various ways including a rejection of their racial-biological foundations.</p>