I think I've finally figured out why the Nazis were considered a right-wing ideology
Anyone who has studied World War II should know that the full and proper name of the Nazi party was the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP). And anyone who knows anything about socialism knows that it is primarily a left-wing ideology. In recent years, this has led many people to believe that the Nazis were on the left-wing of the political spectrum.
But according to this article, Hitler actually opposed socialist ideas, and the Nazi party was socialist in name only, having taken the label in order to gain popularity with the German people. That's why historians have consistently said that the Nazis were a right-wing party, even though they bore the name of a left-wing ideology. The Nazis deceptively called themselves socialists, but many of their actual policies were ardently anti-socialist. Though they did have to implement some genuine socialist policies during their reign in order to appease the masses -- such as wealth redistribution, profit-sharing, nationalization of trusts, retirement pensions and free education -- they nevertheless stood ardently opposed to the ideas of racial and ethnic equality, which were supposed to be a keystone of socialism.
From the article:
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"In April, 1920, Hitler advocated that the [German Worker's Party (GPW)] should change its name to the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP). Hitler had always been hostile to socialist ideas, especially those that involved racial or sexual equality. However, socialism was a popular political philosophy in Germany after the First World War. This was reflected in the growth in the German Social Democrat Party (SDP), the largest political party in Germany. Hitler, therefore redefined socialism by placing the word 'National' before it. He claimed he was only in favour of equality for those who had 'German blood'. Jews and other 'aliens' would lose their rights of citizenship, and immigration of non-Germans should be brought to an end.
[...]
In September 1921, Hitler was sent to prison for three months for being part of a mob who beat up a rival politician. When Hitler was released, he formed his own private army called Sturm Abteilung (Storm Section). The SA (also known as stormtroopers or brownshirts) were instructed to disrupt the meetings of political opponents and to protect Hitler from revenge attacks.
[...]
At the end of the march Hitler would make one of his passionate speeches that encouraged his supporters to carry out acts of violence against Jews and his left-wing political opponents. As this violence was often directed against Socialists and Communists, the local right-wing Bavarian government did not take action against the Nazi Party."
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I admit, for the longest time, I had been operating on the assumption that the Nazis were actual, genuine socialists, because that's what they called themselves. But if this article is true, it flips things around completely. Not that I would ever become a socialist, because I've studied economics too much to believe socialism could ever work. But I do finally understand how and why the Nazis were considered to be part of the right-wing, in spite of their party's name.
(As a side note, I also found it interesting that the Nazi SA were sometimes called "stormtroopers." Could that have been where George Lucas got the term from?)
But according to this article, Hitler actually opposed socialist ideas, and the Nazi party was socialist in name only, having taken the label in order to gain popularity with the German people. That's why historians have consistently said that the Nazis were a right-wing party, even though they bore the name of a left-wing ideology. The Nazis deceptively called themselves socialists, but many of their actual policies were ardently anti-socialist. Though they did have to implement some genuine socialist policies during their reign in order to appease the masses -- such as wealth redistribution, profit-sharing, nationalization of trusts, retirement pensions and free education -- they nevertheless stood ardently opposed to the ideas of racial and ethnic equality, which were supposed to be a keystone of socialism.
From the article:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"In April, 1920, Hitler advocated that the [German Worker's Party (GPW)] should change its name to the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP). Hitler had always been hostile to socialist ideas, especially those that involved racial or sexual equality. However, socialism was a popular political philosophy in Germany after the First World War. This was reflected in the growth in the German Social Democrat Party (SDP), the largest political party in Germany. Hitler, therefore redefined socialism by placing the word 'National' before it. He claimed he was only in favour of equality for those who had 'German blood'. Jews and other 'aliens' would lose their rights of citizenship, and immigration of non-Germans should be brought to an end.
[...]
In September 1921, Hitler was sent to prison for three months for being part of a mob who beat up a rival politician. When Hitler was released, he formed his own private army called Sturm Abteilung (Storm Section). The SA (also known as stormtroopers or brownshirts) were instructed to disrupt the meetings of political opponents and to protect Hitler from revenge attacks.
[...]
At the end of the march Hitler would make one of his passionate speeches that encouraged his supporters to carry out acts of violence against Jews and his left-wing political opponents. As this violence was often directed against Socialists and Communists, the local right-wing Bavarian government did not take action against the Nazi Party."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I admit, for the longest time, I had been operating on the assumption that the Nazis were actual, genuine socialists, because that's what they called themselves. But if this article is true, it flips things around completely. Not that I would ever become a socialist, because I've studied economics too much to believe socialism could ever work. But I do finally understand how and why the Nazis were considered to be part of the right-wing, in spite of their party's name.
(As a side note, I also found it interesting that the Nazi SA were sometimes called "stormtroopers." Could that have been where George Lucas got the term from?)
SOURCE URL: http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/GERnazi.htm
