Heading into the November presidential election, one of the biggest issues on voters' minds is the economy. According to a new poll, 73% of Americans say strengthening it is their top concern.
An 84-year-old incumbent party-line centrist was running against Hitler, and the left party at the time spent all its time attacking the centrists (they called the establishment left party “the main enemy”), and ran their own third-party candidate in the election, siphoning votes away from the center.
A few years later, Hitler had managed to seize power and most of the leftists were in the camps or dead. They were the first of his targets, even before he started working for real against the Jews.
I’m being a little bit selective about it to emphasize the similarity with today, and glossing over some important differences in the situations. But also, the situations are eerily similar, at the core.
Well, the ramp up to the “Machtergreifung” was, but the actual ascend to power was 1933. Again, just like in the US: Vote in November 2024, inauguration Januar 2025.
But also, the situations are eerily similar, at the core.
Which makes me shiver. I know that most Americans learn only a very limited subset of history in school, and they get even that wrong (How many people in the US still call the civil war the “War of Northern Aggression”?). If I were a history teacher in the US, I would see to add a thorough lecture about first half of 20th century Germany at the next avalable chance. And tell them why American soldiers gave their lives to fight it.
And maybe they should add “The Wave” by Morton Rhue to the literature curriculum, if they have not done that already.
It’s earily identical to the 1932 election candidates.
Hindenburg was the centrist incumbent, he didn’t go around publicly calling for genocide like Hitler did, but then he placed Hitler and some other Nazis in key leadership positions because he wanted to ally with his party, and two years later Hitler seized power after his death.
Biden has never called for a genocide, yet he has been actively funding one for 8 months while all the progressives in his cabinet are quitting. He seems unbothered by an election loss to Trump so long as the Pentagon’s foreign policy succeeds. I wouldn’t even be surprised if he dies in the next 2 years considering his health and stress of being president.
People don’t understand that Trump is a symptom and not a cause of the system. Even if he loses this election or dies or is disqualified, another equally or even more insane Republican will take his place. Meanwhile Democrats have refused to actually pass sizable progressive policies for 30-40 years. Biden only got to make his $15 minimum wage promise for only federal employees via an executive order because the party fell apart in congress with an actual bill. This will only lead to more republican voters.
Part of the issue is two party politics, but another part is the DNC refusing to combat fascism because surpsise surpise their candidates are funded by huge megacorp lobbyists who want to protect their corporate interests. Biden winning will not fix the problem, and 4 years down the line we will be faced with the exact same scenario.
Ask any historian what are the lessons of the 1932 German elections, and they’ll tell you: If you’re upset about the establishment incumbent, and specifically the state of the economy, it’s okay to overlook serious warnings about the other guy
Yep. Just like it was in Germany in 1933. Think about what happened back then…
It was 1 year earlier; 1932
An 84-year-old incumbent party-line centrist was running against Hitler, and the left party at the time spent all its time attacking the centrists (they called the establishment left party “the main enemy”), and ran their own third-party candidate in the election, siphoning votes away from the center.
A few years later, Hitler had managed to seize power and most of the leftists were in the camps or dead. They were the first of his targets, even before he started working for real against the Jews.
I’m being a little bit selective about it to emphasize the similarity with today, and glossing over some important differences in the situations. But also, the situations are eerily similar, at the core.
Well, the ramp up to the “Machtergreifung” was, but the actual ascend to power was 1933. Again, just like in the US: Vote in November 2024, inauguration Januar 2025.
Which makes me shiver. I know that most Americans learn only a very limited subset of history in school, and they get even that wrong (How many people in the US still call the civil war the “War of Northern Aggression”?). If I were a history teacher in the US, I would see to add a thorough lecture about first half of 20th century Germany at the next avalable chance. And tell them why American soldiers gave their lives to fight it.
And maybe they should add “The Wave” by Morton Rhue to the literature curriculum, if they have not done that already.
They voted a genocidalist who also happened to have some big industry projects that revived the economy.
Not really a great comparison considering both POTUS options are genocidalists with pork barrel projects that won’t actually revitalize the economy.
But only one has an openly fashist agenda. And it pains me to see that Americans know so little about world history that they don’t recognize this.
It’s earily identical to the 1932 election candidates.
Hindenburg was the centrist incumbent, he didn’t go around publicly calling for genocide like Hitler did, but then he placed Hitler and some other Nazis in key leadership positions because he wanted to ally with his party, and two years later Hitler seized power after his death.
Biden has never called for a genocide, yet he has been actively funding one for 8 months while all the progressives in his cabinet are quitting. He seems unbothered by an election loss to Trump so long as the Pentagon’s foreign policy succeeds. I wouldn’t even be surprised if he dies in the next 2 years considering his health and stress of being president.
People don’t understand that Trump is a symptom and not a cause of the system. Even if he loses this election or dies or is disqualified, another equally or even more insane Republican will take his place. Meanwhile Democrats have refused to actually pass sizable progressive policies for 30-40 years. Biden only got to make his $15 minimum wage promise for only federal employees via an executive order because the party fell apart in congress with an actual bill. This will only lead to more republican voters.
Part of the issue is two party politics, but another part is the DNC refusing to combat fascism because surpsise surpise their candidates are funded by huge megacorp lobbyists who want to protect their corporate interests. Biden winning will not fix the problem, and 4 years down the line we will be faced with the exact same scenario.
Which is also just a symptom of a FPTP election system. To get anywhere, this has to go first.
Ask any historian what are the lessons of the 1932 German elections, and they’ll tell you: If you’re upset about the establishment incumbent, and specifically the state of the economy, it’s okay to overlook serious warnings about the other guy