Werner Sombart: German Economist And Social Feminist

Werner Sombart was a German economist and social scientist who was born in 1863. He was interested in the relationship between capitalism and religion, applying Marxist and Social Darwinist theories in his writings. He was interested in class hierarchies and the evolution of society, particularly in the progress of the German race. Sombart’s book Händler und Helden (Merchants and Heroes), published in 1915, reflects ideas of German racial superiority. The book was published after the failure of the Schlieffen Plan in late 1914. The Schlieffen Plan was Germany’s only plan for war. Germany planned to enter France by crossing through Belgian soil with 90 percent of their troops. They wanted to defeat France to avoid a war on two fronts simultaneously …show more content…
He makes clear distinctions between the Germans (heroes) and the British (merchants). The Germans are portrayed as self-sacrificial and nationalistic. They do not ask for anything in return, but sacrifice themselves in the duty of upholding their country’s honour, resulting in productivity and success. However, the British are criticised as being decadent and acting in their own self-interests. They are said to be passive beings who are selfish and desire outcomes without putting in any effort. German animosity towards the British is reflected in this comparison, where Britain’s involvement in the war is seen as unnecessary and used to further their own economic interests. Sombart states that “to be German is to be a hero”. He presents the view that heroism is an innate trait exclusive to the German people, arguing racial superiority and strength. He characterises German values and British values to be in extreme binary opposition, manipulating the deep hostilities that already exist between the two nations to propagate support from the public regarding Germany’s war involvement. Sombart emphasises the good nature of the German people and their values of loyalty, courage, virtue, bravery and generosity. He states that these values are achieved in war as “all heroism only achieves its full greatness in war”. He appeals to …show more content…
The document is written from the perspective of a German intellectual, which is useful in providing information regarding racial biases and attitudes of the elite. The works of the intellectual community typically influenced the attitudes of ordinary citizens in society through the distribution of print publications and mass media. This informs us of the ideology and material being spread to the public to propagate nationalistic German values. As the document is propagandist in nature, it does not describe or acknowledge the consequences of war in terms of human devastation. It uses vague terminology and presents a one-sided view of the relationship between Germany and Britain. The document reveals ideas of racial inequality and social Darwinism prevalent in Europe in the 1900s. It is important to identify that the resentment and tensions between different nations was deeply rooted in historical events spanning from pre-war times. This has perpetuated even until the end of World War One, manifesting into destruction of a larger scale in World War