Who goes Nazi?

Harper's Magazine ^ | August 1941 | Dorothy Thompson

[ventanax5]

It is an interesting and somewhat macabre parlor game to play at a large gathering of one’s acquaintances: to speculate who in a showdown would go Nazi. By now, I think I know. I have gone through the experience many times–in Germany, in Austria, and in France. I have come to know the types: the born Nazis, the Nazis whom democracy itself has created, the certain-to-be fellow-travelers. And I also know those who never, under any conceivable circumstances, would become Nazis.

It is preposterous to think that they are divided by any racial characteristics. Germans may be more susceptible to Nazism than most people, but I doubt it. Jews are barred out, but it is an arbitrary ruling. I know lots of Jews who are born Nazis and many others who would heil Hitler tomorrow morning if given a chance. There are Jews who have repudiated their own ancestors in order to become “Honorary Aryans and Nazis”; there are full-blooded Jews who have enthusiastically entered Hitler’s secret service. Nazism has nothing to do with race and nationality. It appeals to a certain type of mind.

[infowarrior]

there are full-blooded Jews who have enthusiastically entered Hitler’s secret service. Nazism has nothing to do with race and nationality. It appeals to a certain type of mind.

Like that George fellow, what is his last name, Supos, Satos, Soros?

the infowarrior

[rbg81]

An interesting read, but not I totally agree. Many of the liberals I have met would be the first to go Nazi. Kind of like the Tolerance Camp counselors in "South Park".

[Jack Hydrazine]

[Billthedrill]

Fascinating find. You could play a similar game at any social function these days that isn't already segregated by progressive versus conservative. If by "Nazi" one means a person tempted to join the National Socialist party, one would look within the ranks of the progressives. Not all progressives are potential Nazis, of course, but nearly all the genuine Nazis were progressives; that is, people who believed in the transformation of their present society away from the perceived evils of capitalism and toward state control of both economy and citizen. Furthermore, they believed and worked tirelessly to destabilize the present society in favor of a new one built on more acceptable ideological lines. They tended to dehumanize their opposition and follow this with a sanctioned violence against them. Against reason they posited "higher truths." Against humanity they opposed a ruthless disregard of the living in favor of the future, perfected citizen. Against liberty they opposed state-imposed discipline in favor of the greater good. They meant well, or claimed to, but did evil, excusing the excesses with the pious proclamation of noble intentions. They destroyed their own country and blamed it on somebody else.

They were not conservatives in any sense, except toward the end when they longed for a return to the days of torchlight parades and public beatings of Jews. The Nazis were totalitarian progressives, and if at times our own progressives tend toward the totalitarian, it's something to be alarmed about.

[Wuli]

The American Progressives had lots of elements they shared with the European Fascists and those elements were elements that the Fascists in Europe shared with Communists and other socialists.

So, who were the Fascists? Political cousins of the Communists and Socialists.

Who were the Nazi Fascists - German “National Socialists” (Nazi).

Kind of tells you who in this society will be (or already have been) the first to “go Nazi”.

[samtheman]

Hitler drew his legions from the mostly lower middle class in Germany. His followers may later have included many from many parts of society (as a defensive gesture for a lot of them), but Hitler filled his ranks with those who felt left out and had nothing to lose.

This little parlor game bears about as much resemblance to the rise of Nazism in Germany as it does to ... oh, I don’t know... Babe Ruth’s batting style.

This was a fantasy piece written by someone whose nerves were obviously shattered by the horrors of her day.

[Argus]

Whenever I see Bob Beckel ranting and spewing on Hannity’s show, I can’t help thinking “perfect brownshirt material.”

[wintertime]

This is an excellent essay. I recommend it to other Freepers. It is worth the time to read it.

[NativeNewYorker]

Truly worth reading in full.

I have long played a variant of this game. Lots of Americans have ALREADY gone Nazi....so I think about who's already gone over.

[TopQuark]

Ping

[MikeNJ]

Yes, Dorothy Thompson had superb insight and the writing skill to display it.

Another journalist of that era worth reading was Garet Garrett. His analysis of the Depression and the New Deal (Ex America, The People’s Pottage) are pertinent and especially timely today.

[sionnsar]

A very good read. Thank you.

[meyer]

It's kind of long-winded and I lost interest.

My take on it - progressivism is as close to National Socialist as you can get. Therefore, the more progressive, the more “NAZI”. The delineation doesn't fall precisely on party lines, but there are a LOT more progressive democrats than Republicans.

[Steve Van Doorn]

Yes, that is what i am thinking. over half of the democrats have already gone NAZI and the rest don't care.

[PA Engineer]

Interesting read. BTTT. The following quotes are particularly interesting.

Kind, good, happy, gentlemanly, secure people never go Nazi. They may be the gentle philosopher whose name is in the Blue Book, or Bill from City College to whom democracy gave a chance to design airplanes–you’ll never make Nazis out of them. But the frustrated and humiliated intellectual, the rich and scared speculator, the spoiled son, the labor tyrant, the fellow who has achieved success by smelling out the wind of success–they would all go Nazi in a crisis.

Believe me, nice people don’t go Nazi. Their race, color, creed, or social condition is not the criterion. It is something in them.

Those who haven’t anything in them to tell them what they like and what they don’t-whether it is breeding, or happiness, or wisdom, or a code, however old-fashioned or however modern, go Nazi.

Besides the archetypes described, I would like to add the class of psychopaths and sociopaths. They comprise over 6% (maybe much greater today) of western society. That is 18 million plus without any sense of conscience. Our country is in great danger. This is why I am pessimistic about the next election and an avoidance of civil war. I believe ultimately we will have to go Sherman on the "ruling elite".

[BobL]

“The American Progressives had lots of elements they shared with the European Fascists and those elements were elements that the Fascists in Europe shared with Communists and other socialists.

So, who were the Fascists? Political cousins of the Communists and Socialists.”

Exactly - it’s always the same people, the ones who love blood and torture. They simply pick a side (and the sides are pretty much the same) and go to bat for it. Unfortunately these people will always exist - maybe 10% of the population of this country. They can be held back when the remaining people deal with them properly - but they gain strength through abusing our freedoms...just as the Muzzies are doing in Europe these days. They (commies, muzzies, and real nazis) are VERY dangerous people and need to be taken seriously and opposed. They can be repressed by a unified opposition, but they really cannot be defeated, without the good people becoming exactly who they are = it’s almost lose-lose, but we can hold them back.

[goldfinch]

bump for later