Julius Evola

Life

• 1898: Born in Rome, Italy, into a noble Sicilian family.
• c. 1917-1920: Serves as an artillery officer in World War I and becomes involved with the Italian Futurist and Dadaist art scenes.
• 1920s-1930s: Shifts focus from art to esotericism and philosophy, publishing key works on Hermeticism, Tantra, and the "Traditional" worldview.
• 1934: Publishes Rivolta contro il mondo moderno (Revolt Against the Modern World), his foundational Traditionalist work.
• 1943-1945: Works with the SS Ahnenerbe in Nazi Germany and remains in Berlin during the final battle, suffering a spinal injury.
• 1951: Put on trial in Italy for "glorifying fascism" and defending the Nazi "Final Solution," but is acquitted for lack of evidence.
• 1974: Dies in Rome from the long-term effects of his 1945 injury.

People Who Influenced Their Thought

• René Guénon: The French metaphysician who founded the Traditionalist School; Evola adopted but radically reinterpreted his concepts of Tradition vs. the Modern World.
• Friedrich Nietzsche: Influenced by his concepts of the Overman (Ubermensch), will to power, and amor fati, though Evola rejected his "nihilism."
• Oswald Spengler: Shared his cyclical view of history and cultural pessimism regarding Western decline.
• Eastern Esoteric Traditions: Deeply influenced by Tantra (emphasizing action and power) and Tibetan Buddhism (the doctrine of the "Wheel of Dharma").

Main Ideas and Publications

• Rivolta contro il mondo moderno (Revolt Against the Modern World, 1934): His central work outlining the history of mankind as a descent from a Golden Age (Tradition) to the Dark Age (Kali Yuga).
• Traditionalism: Belief in a primordial, perennial Tradition—a metaphysical reality from which all authentic ancient religions and societies derive. The modern world represents its utter negation.
• The Spiritual Race / Aryanism: A metaphysical, non-biological concept of race, where the highest "Aryan" race is defined by its connection to the transcendent and solar spirituality.
• The "Apolitical" Man of Tradition / The Radical Aristocrat: An ideal human type who remains spiritually detached and acts in the world to oppose its decadence, beyond conventional politics.
• Gli uomini e le rovine (Men Among the Ruins, 1953): Outlines his post-war political vision of an "organic," hierarchical, and anti-democratic state.

Controversies around his main work or thought

• Fascist and Nazi Associations: Though critical of the vulgarity of mass-based fascism and Nazism, his elitist, anti-modern, and anti-egalitarian ideas made him a key intellectual reference for far-right regimes and movements.
• Extremism and Terrorism: His works, particularly Cavalcare la tigre (Ride the Tiger, 1961), were found in the possessions of 1970s-80s Italian far-right terrorists, who saw him as a spiritual guide.
• Esoteric Racism: His "spiritual racism" was distinct from Nazi biological racism but was often used to justify the same supremacist and anti-Semitic policies. His later trial involved accusations of defending the Holocaust.
• Misogyny and Reactionism: His vehement anti-feminism and advocacy for a hyper-masculine, warrior aristocracy are consistently controversial.

Key People Influenced by Their Thought

• Aleksandr Dugin: The Russian political theorist has extensively used Evola's Traditionalist and geopolitical ideas in his own work, promoting a "Eurasian" empire.
• Italian Far-Right Militants: Groups like the Nuclei Armati Rivoluzionari and Ordine Nuovo drew ideological inspiration from his calls for a spiritual revolt against modernity.
• Steve Bannon: The former Trump strategist has referenced Evola as an influence on the "traditionalist" wing of populist nationalism.
• Contemporary Alt-Right Movements: Various online and offline alt-right figures have adopted his critiques of liberalism, equality, and modernity.

Legacy

He remains a highly controversial but influential figure whose radical Traditionalism, spiritual elitism, and anti-modern polemics provide a philosophical and esoteric justification for far-right and reactionary political movements.