Was Nazism a left-wing ideology?

[Dragonlord]

It seems that some people believe that it is. they are absolutely always right-wing themselves and thus have an interest in distancing themselves form Hitler.

What's your opinion on this argument?

Didn't have time to read the thread, but just to the OP: NO!!!!

Hitler took over an existing party, and some of the original members (e.g. the Strasser brothers) did have leftist views, but they were soon marginalised and later eliminated.

The only thing socialist about the Nazi party was the name.

I did read one of the first posts where Merkinball said something about the Nazis being against Jews because they were capitalist - that is just wrong. Hitler's rhetoric was mainly about "the Jewish-Bolzhevik conspiracy". It is true that at times he also ranted against "Wall Street capitalists/Jews", but that was mostly populist rhetoric. At no time did he ever attempt any socialist programs.

There were striking similarities between Hitler's Germany and Stalin's (nominally socialist) Russia - but those were because both were totalitarian, not because of any Nazi 'socialism'.

 

[Merkinball]

I did read one of the first posts where Merkinball said something about the Nazis being against Jews because they were capitalist - that is just wrong. Hitler's rhetoric was mainly about "the Jewish-Bolzhevik conspiracy". It is true that at times he also ranted against "Wall Street capitalists/Jews", but that was mostly populist rhetoric. At no time did he ever attempt any socialist programs. - Dragonlord

Just wrong? I hate to tell you this, but the connection between Jews and capitalism AND communism is littered throughout everything Hitler wrote and did. It's just been erased from history be revisionists. I mean, look at the logic you're using here. Hitler used rhetoric against the Jews in public against capitalism and communism. What on God's green earth leads you to the general conclusion that one was rhetorical while the other was genuine? If Hitler really had no problems with capitalism, why was he so anti-capitalist? You should do yourself a favor and read the whole thread. The idea that Hitler didn't do anything socialist, or didn't whole-heartedly believe in many socialist ideals is really an ignorant comment.

 

[Traitorfish]

If Hitler really had no problems with capitalism, why was he so anti-capitalist?

"Capitalism" does not refer exclusively to laissez faire; protectionist policies, particularly the sort of corporatism typical of extreme-right authoritarian states, are "capitalist" in the broader sense of the word. Simply because the West, and more specifically the US, has adopted the term "capitalism" as a vague label for their model of liberal capitalist/representative democracy, does not grant a license to misuse it as such.

Furthermore, your use of "socialist" is clumsy; I suspect you mean something such as "state collectivism". "Socialism" is a more particular term, and, similarly, should not be so misused.

 

[Merkinball]

Furthermore, your use of "socialist" is clumsy; I suspect you mean something such as "state collectivism". "Socialism" is a more particular term, and, similarly, should not be so misused. - Traitorfish

Yes, I actually agree with this. I probably should be more careful with its use and terminology. For instance, socialism at that point was technically an "internationalist" ideology, and it's primarily why Hitler and Mussolini said that what they were doing wasn't socialism. What they did was the "third way." An economic system that transcended class, destroyed the aristocracy's, redistributed wealth, made the trains run on time, made everything for the state, by the state, and within the state, and created equal value to businessmen, farmers, and the workers alike.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I heard Nazi propaganda was so powerful, people still believe it.

 

[Hrothbern]

Regarding Hitler and Socialism.
An interesting document was recently found used in a book by Weber, showing that Hitler wanted to become member of the Socialist party in 1919 and write in their paper, but was denied acess.

"The document is from the testimony of Hans Georg Grassinger, the founding chairman of the German Socialist party. Weber found it in the archive of the Institute of Contemporary History in Munich. “It’s just been overlooked. The problem is that they have so much stuff,” he said."
"The document records: “In the autumn of 1919, around September, Hitler appeared in the office of the publishing house to see Grassinger and offered [to] write for the paper, and to join and work for the German Socialist party. He didn’t have any money at the time and he also asked to borrow money from Grassinger. But they [told] him that they had no use for him in the paper and that they also did not want to have him in the party.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...nly-after-another-far-right-group-shunned-him

Only after that did Hitler join the Nazi's, took the party over (1921) and blocked consequently any initiatives within the Nazi party to merge into the Socialist party, up to the point of temporary resigning from the party, supposedly out of the feeling of being humiliated by the Socialist party.

 

[Arakhor]

Moderator Action: It really wasn't necessary to revive an eight-year-old thread. Thread closed.