The Genealogy of Morals

The Genealogy of Morals is a book by Friedrich Nietzsche, first published in 1887. In this provocative philosophical work, Nietzsche sets out to uncover the historical and psychological origins of moral values that Western culture often treats as timeless truths. Rather than accepting concepts such as “good,” “evil,” guilt, and conscience at face value, he interrogates how they developed and whose interests they ultimately serve.

The book is structured as three closely argued essays. In the first, Nietzsche contrasts “master morality” and “slave morality,” tracing how resentment and power dynamics reshaped moral language over time. He examines how values rooted in strength, nobility, and self-affirmation were gradually replaced by moral systems emphasizing humility, obedience, and self-denial. This analysis challenges readers to reconsider the foundations of morality itself and the hidden motivations behind moral judgments.

The second and third essays turn to themes of guilt, punishment, asceticism, and religious morality. Nietzsche explores how the idea of guilt became internalized, producing what he famously describes as a “bad conscience,” and how ascetic ideals came to dominate philosophy, religion, and culture. Throughout, he argues that these developments reflect deeper psychological struggles rather than objective moral progress. Widely regarded as one of Nietzsche’s most influential works, The Genealogy of Morals remains essential reading for those interested in moral philosophy, psychology, and cultural criticism. This translation by Horace B. Samuel was originally published in 1913.