alembic reviewed The Nazi seizure of power by William Sheridan Allen
Review of 'The Nazi seizure of power' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Much to say. I started this book during Trump's inauguration, and had to put it down when things got too dark. While there are, thankfully, certain differences between 1930's Germany and the US of today, the similarities were striking. Most importantly, both the people that supported the Nazis as well as their opponents never thought the Nazi regime would become what it did. The book shows how such a takeover occurs gradually, with no clear turning point, and with each transgression against democratic norms being assimilated individually.
I had always wondered at what point the Nazi regime became entrenched to the point that people were afraid to speak their minds. The answer: six months after winning control of the government in early 1933. After that there was little chance of a meaningful resistance changing the course of events that led to the Holocaust and the war.
The US is in …
Much to say. I started this book during Trump's inauguration, and had to put it down when things got too dark. While there are, thankfully, certain differences between 1930's Germany and the US of today, the similarities were striking. Most importantly, both the people that supported the Nazis as well as their opponents never thought the Nazi regime would become what it did. The book shows how such a takeover occurs gradually, with no clear turning point, and with each transgression against democratic norms being assimilated individually.
I had always wondered at what point the Nazi regime became entrenched to the point that people were afraid to speak their minds. The answer: six months after winning control of the government in early 1933. After that there was little chance of a meaningful resistance changing the course of events that led to the Holocaust and the war.
The US is in better shape, but, despite stronger democratic institutions, the building blocks of a fascist regime are present. Just like in 1933, the left has failed to deliver on a vision of equality and prosperity through enlightened principles of governance, and there are enough people experiencing inequality with no interest in enlightened principles to provide a mass of popular support for a fascist alternative. As in many other points in history, the left has created a vacuum that has been filled by fascism.
Odds are we aren't going to end up with another Hitler in the US, but things are bad enough now that it pays to consider what brought us here, and what could happen if our society fails to respond. This book was an excellent resource to this end.