Nietzsche on the Necessity of Social Decadence

Abstract

The aim of this article is to elucidate Nietzsche's idea of the necessity of social decadence. It is discussed that the necessity indicates an inevitable or necessary historical process, on the one hand, and the decadent being necessarily produced in society, on the other. Nietzsche presents a seemingly contradictory idea regarding this necessity. While he describes decadence as a necessary part of life, he also demands disposing of a decadent part in society. This article suggests a solution to this problem and argues what should be fought is not decadence itself but its metastasis that risks the health of the whole, and Christian morality of equality plays a key role in this metastasis.