What are "Great Men" and How Do We Become One?
The "Great Man" Theory of History
“The history of the world is but the biography of great men.”- Carlyle, Thomas (Scottish Historian), 1840
THE GREAT MAN THEORY OF HISTORY
I wanted to start this article off with a quote by Thomas Carlyle that summarizes this entire topic. According to Rohmann, Chris, “great man” theory is the viewpoint that exceptional, extraordinary men have shaped and sculpted the path of history (World of Ideas, p. 169). The idea is that the state of the world and civilization have been created by smart and industrious men. Civilization didn’t just come out of nowhere, according to this theory, civilization was purposefully brought into being by these few and great men.
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The “great man” theory was first defined in the early 19th century by historians and philosophers to better understand the character, aims, and ambitions of Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon started off his military career as a child in military academy. He then subsequently rose through the ranks as an officer, general, and eventually crowned himself the “Emperor of Europe.”
NIETZSCHE ON GREAT MEN
Nietzsche wrote heavily about great men. He stressed the need for the rare few in humanity who can evolve as humans into the Overman, or Ubermensch (German for Superman).
The Overman, according to Nietzsche, realizing that nihilism, atheism, and a subsequent lack of morality in the West necessitates great men to help mankind to evolve into a Higher Man.
A few examples of Overmen that Nietzsche provides are Napoleon, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and Goethe. These men are few and far between in their accomplishments.
Regarding “Great Men,” Nietzsche stated:
“Great men, like great ages, are explosive material, in which a stupendous amount of power is accumulated; the fine conditions of their existence are always historical and physiological; they are the outcome of the fact that for long ages energy have been collected, hoarded up, saved up and preserved for their use and that no explosion has taken place. When the tension in the bulk has become sufficiently excessive, the most fortuitous stimulus suffices in order to call genius,’ ‘great deeds,’ and momentous fate into the world. (Twilight of the Idols, p.75-76).
Here, Nietzsche was referring to great men who accomplish great things and come along at the right by fortunate circumstances. Those fortunate circumstances occur when a large amount of power has been stored up for a long period of time. That power can be social or political, for example. When the right person comes along and harnesses that stored up explosive power, great strides and action occur for mankind.
Nietzsche went on to state that:
“Great men are necessary, the age in which they appear is a matter of chance; the fact that they almost invariably master their age is accounted for simply by the fact that they are stronger, that they are older, and that power has been stored longer for them. (Twilight of the Idols, p.76)
For example, Napoleon made use of the political and social upheaval that the French Revolution caused. With the taking down of the French monarchy and military hierarchy, Napoleon was able to rise through the ranks quickly to achieve more power and control. Without the explosive political and social power that was stored up and released during the French Revolution, Napoleon would not have been able to achieve all that he did.
LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
While most of us won’t be “Great Men” like Napoleon or Alexander the Great, we can always strive to be “Great Men” in our own way.
We can study the lives of great men and the ages that they lived in to gain inspiration in our own lives.
When you think the time is right, take explosive, decisive action in your own life to acquire more power and accomplish more things. Sitting around and thinking and second guessing ourselves at the wrong time only holds ourselves back from the things we want in life.
NOTES
Nietzsche, Friedrich (1889). Twilight of the Idols. Translated (2007) Ludovici, Antony. Wordsworth Editions Limited
Rohmann, Chris (1999). A World of Ideas. The Random House Publishing Group