ABSTRACT
The purpose of this chapter is to examine Max Scheler’s evolving political thought that underwent a remarkable transformation over his lifetime. At the outset of the Great War, Scheler not only stridently defended German aggression but also argued for the unique value war and violence contribute to the growth and development of a culture. However, in his later political writings composed during the 1920s, Scheler rejected his earlier position on the inherent value of war and defended both the ideal of peace and pacifism. His attention turned to the growing crisis of political ressentiment and the rise of fascism not only in Germany but also in Europe in general. This chapter provides an account of how Scheler’s political thought evolved as well as an analysis of the dangers he found in the politics of ressentiment.
