This chapter examines the historical and intellectual context surrounding the dismissal of dialectics in late nineteenth and early twentieth century Germany. During this period, scepticism towards dialectics grew in the midst of profound socio-political and economic transformations, including the transition to imperialism. The intellectual landscape underwent a significant shift as three major philosophical movements gained prominence: positivism, neo-Kantianism, and Nietzschean philosophy. Despite their distinct approaches, these movements shared a common skepticism toward dialectics, contributing to its eventual marginalisation in both philosophical thought and social theory. Positivism emerged as a strong intellectual force, emphasising empirical observation and advocating for a strict separation between scientific inquiry and metaphysical speculation. Simultaneously, neo-Kantianism gained considerable influence, particularly within social democracy, further contributing to the decline of dialectics. The critique of rationalist traditions was further radicalised by Nietzschean philosophy and the broader ‘Lebensphilosophie’ movement. Taken together, these movements reflected a broader intellectual trend that rejected both metaphysics and dialectics and fundamentally reshaped philosophical discourse.