"Dan S. MacAbre" wrote in message
...
Tim Streater wrote:
In article , Dan S. MacAbre
wrote:

The Natural Philosopher wrote:

I can fully understand why people supported Hitler. And why people
support Corbyn.

And why Lefty****s are ****s.

I don't excuse it though.

I thank you and Fredxxx for your responses. I could talk about this
sort of stuff all day, but I don't think usenet is a great way to deal
with it.

You've clearly both studied more than me, yet I still maintain that
/for most people/, Hitler's success is something of a mystery.

I've pointed out a couple of the factors that Hitler used very
effectively to rouse people up. He was a very effective orator. He also
used violence to bash the communists.

I think the Nazis invented targeted political leafletting,

No they didnt. Lots of that happened in Britain long
before he was even born, usually call pamphletering.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pamphl...let_in_England

making contradictory promises (high food prices to farmers/low food prices
to everyone else) to various sections of the community.

I also get the impression that the political atmosphere in general was
fairly violent, and that's why people did not find it particularly
surprising or alienating.

The very mention of the name is too loaded for people to not
believe that he tricked his way into power. Yet it is clear that
he did not.

In a way, he did. He certainly *politicked* his way in, and once he'd
been appointed as Chancellor used that position to cement his power.

He seems to have been the master of opportunity.

I think it's worth mentioning the paralysis induced by Germany's
system of proportional representation as a major factor. There was
one NSDAP founding member (whose name I can't remember) who, when
asked what they stand for, simply said 'the opposite of what there is
today'. I think many people feel that right now, especially in the US.

Well, the Nazis became the largest party but never had an absolute
majority of the vote. You also have to remember that, although Germany
had this wonderful written constitution, those responsible for guarding
it (the army, police, judiciary) all hated it. Hence Hitler only
getting 9 months for armed insurrection - treason, in fact.

Another unfortunate factor - the Weimar Republic did not purge the
judiciary.

The hyperinflation of 1923 has been mentioned, but this was got under
control when required (I think it was allowed to run away in order to
obfuscate the value of the currency at a time when they were paying
reparations), and I'd be surprised if it was still a motivating
political factor ten years later. The Great Depression, OTOH,
certainly was.

It was got under control, but it ruined the middle classes and made
them fodder for Hitler.