Triumph of the VOLK

A comment in September, 1930 about the recent election in Germany: “Voters have given their votes to the commonest, hollowest and rudest charlatanism.” What might this be? The National Socialist Party, the Nazis. What was the party’s appeal? It purported to overcome artisan and class differences. It was on the side of social justice. It was drawn out of idealism in spite of its crude message. To come to power, it benefitted from the correlation between crisis and the search for political alternatives by the German people. Nazism was an ideological innovation which stood for renewal. It capitalized on the fact that bourgeois political parties were in a state of disarray. It represented an anti-elite and ani-reactionary sentiment. It was rooted in imagination. Hitler spoke to the future and in the active tense, not the past. He represented the nation and the rise of populist nationalism. “Movement and struggle” was a key phrase. Hitler’s rallies were choreographed to achieve his ends. At his rallies, to add a common touch, specifically selected ordinary workers were interviewed. His appeal to the VOLK, the ordinary people, was strong. Germany was a small country but in 1929, the Nazis held 2370 meetings. They had 3400 branches. In 1930, they recruited 2000 speakers for the party. Eventually they utilized thousands of local party bosses. They appealed to the young, the virile with an uncompromising movement.

Consider the above analysis by a writer on the subject of why the German people turned into Nazis. Consider the appeal to imagination of Obama’s campaign slogan of ‘hope and change.” American certainly isn’t small country with a concentrated population, BUT too many Americans have been ( were) duped too into supporting their version of the savior of the nation by elevating Obama to power in 2008 and sticking with him even to date.