Hitler–socialism denial
Hitler–socialism denial is a prominent form of left-wing propaganda which denies the socialist roots of Adolf Hitler and Nazism. Propagated by neo-Marxist scholars and intellectuals, it serves as a tool for mainline contemporary socialists to desperately distance Marxist Socialism from National Socialism. Nearly all arguments presented by neo-Marxist leftists to deny the socialism of Hitler and Nazi ideology have been extensively refuted by conservative, libertarian, and classical liberal researchers.
According to TIKhistory, the act of denying the socialist roots of Hitler and Nazism constitutes Holocaust denial.[1]
History and origin of the term "Nazi"
Prior to the leadership of the Nazi Party under Adolf Hitler, the antisemitic organization was known as the German Worker's Party under the leadership of Karl Harrer, Rudolf Jung, and Anton Drexler. When Hitler joined the party and became its leader after rabble-rousing his way to the upper party hierarchy, and it was during this period that the party was renamed the National Socialist German Worker's Party.[2]
The English term "National Socialist German Worker's Party" is translated from the corresponding German phrase Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (NSDAP).[3] Early opponents of the National Socialists derogatorily used the term "Sozi," a contraction of the German word for "socialist."[note 1] This predated the usage of "Nazi" as an insult against the National Socialists.
The word "Nazi" started being used when opponents devised a means to combine the word "Sozi" with "Ignatz," a mockery of the name "Ignatius" which was common in the southern Bavaria region of Germany where National Socialists politically thrived in (the area was previously a communist establishment known as the Bavarian Soviet Republic, whose government Hitler served in during the 1910s).[3] Soon, observers contracted "(Na)tionalSo(zi)alistische to "Nazi." The term was coined in a manner that makes clear it was meant not only to insult the National Socialists in particular, but also, explicitly or implicitly, insult socialism in general as well.
Common arguments
"Hitler wasn't a real socialist"
Possibly the most common argument presented by neo-Marxists in denying the socialism of Nazism argues that Adolf Hitler wasn't a "real" socialist because his ideology was grounded in race, while "real socialism" emphasizes class. However, this relies on the presumption that only Marxism is "real" socialism, even though it constitutes only one variant of socialist thought. In reality, a "race"—similar to a "class"—can be vaguely considered a social group,[note 2] and hence Nazism is inherently just as socialist as Marxism is. In addition, most early socialists during the late 19th century and early 20th century believed the same racist, antisemitic propaganda that Hitler demagogically spewed.[4] Karl Marx himself was infamously known for writing antisemitic screeds and anti-black racism.[5]
"Hitler was anti-communist"
A common theme employed by neo-Marxist propagandists to deny the socialist origins of Hitler and Nazi ideology argues that they were mutually opposed to communism, a variant of leftism, and therefore could not have been leftists themselves. As part of a larger narrative that equates practically all anti-communism to "right-wing politics," it functions as a form of whataboutism to ignore both the roots of Nazism itself, in addition to numerous instances of collaboration between the Nazi and Communist parties of Germany.
During the years of the Weimar Republic, the Nazi Party frequently formed alliances with the Communist Party in joint opposition towards the Social Democratic Party.[6] In spite of instances where rank-and-file members in the two parties viciously attacked one another, members of the leaderships often formed tactical alliances against their perceived "real" enemy, the Social Democrats and their coalition.
Following the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact, communists not in only Germany, but worldwide, took an active stance for nearly two years opposing the anti-Hitler forces up until the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union. When Nazi Germany instigated World War II upon invading Poland, the Comintern (Communist International) extolled the attack as "an example of cooperation of socialist nations against Anglo-French imperialism."[7][note 3] Joseph Stalin further ordered international communist organizations in Western nations to sabotage the Allied Powers through persistent strikes in armament and airplane factories.[8]
See also
References
- ↑ TIKhistory (July 9, 2019). How to Ideologically undermine Holocaust Denialism. YouTube. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ↑ Adolf Hitler becomes the leader of the Nazi Party. History.com. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Kalu, Micheal Chimaobi (February 26, 2019). Everyone Knows The Word “Nazi” But How Did The Term Come Into Being? War History Online. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ↑ Jossey, Paul H. (September 11, 2018). A Pile Of Top Nazis Talking About How They Love Leftist Marxism. The Federalist. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ↑ Singer, Saul J. (May 8, 2019). Karl Marx: A Self-Hating Jew. The Jewish Press. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ↑ Moncure, Billy (September 28, 2018). How Communists in Germany Allied with Nazis to Destroy Democracy. War History Online. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ↑ Soviet Invasion of Poland. September 17, 1939. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ↑ Suvorov, Viktor (2008). The Chief Culprit: Stalin's Grand Design to Start World War II. Google Books. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
Notes
- ↑ Indeed, observers a century ago recognized what contemporary Marxists refuse to admit: that the Nazis were socialist to their core.
- ↑ This also leads the conclusion that racism constitutes a form of socialism.
- ↑ Here, even the Comintern directly admits, whether accidentally or intentionally, that the Nazi regime is socialist.
External links
- Hitler's Socialism | Destroying the Denialist Counter Arguments – TIKhistory, February 24, 2020