The Argument Against Fascism In Germany

Although many people opposed Adolf Hitler when he attempted to rise to power in Germany, he had just enough supporters to begin his great conquest of an unattainable goal- to create a practically perfect society made up only of Aryans. Through this hideously fascist transformation of Germany, along with that of Italy and Japan, we are left to wonder, why fascism? As humans, we tend to look into more extreme solutions as our problems worsen. Whether it be poverty, sadness, or death, we fear pain and discomfort. When faced with these hardships, we become increasingly desperate for relief. This human construct can be applied to the appeal of fascism. In times of desperate need, fascism seems like a good option to many people due to its call for

As Hitler claimed to his people, “Nothing is possible if there is not a single will which issues its commands and which the others must always obey, beginning from above and ending only at the lowest point...That is the expression of an authoritarian State, not of a weak chattering democracy; and in the authoritarian State everyone is proud to owe obedience” (31). A fascist military state radiated the promise of strength, which is exactly the type of solution many Europeans needed during the 1920s and 1930s after suffering from economic downfalls. This emphasis on military and strength was a large factors in the stark contrast between fascism and Western democracy. Therefore, the West was almost always on the fascists’ long list of enemies. While the ideal fascist struggled for the community, the typical Westerner looked out only for his or herself (Buruma, 6). While the fascist saw no value in material wealth, the Westerner lived for the satisfaction of consumerism (8). While the fascist was willing to risk his or her life for a greater cause, the Westerner was addicted to safety, which would ultimately lead to the West’s downfall. According to the philosopher Oswald Spengler, “Jazz music and [African American] dances are the death march of a great civilization” (7). Compared to their own sturdy state, the West was weak in the eyes of the fascists. They kept reminding themselves and each other that they were strong and that “only the strong deserves friendship, only the strong keeps friendship” (Hitler, 31). As seen in this quote, systematic dehumanization of other races and peoples played an extremely large role in justifying the terrors committed by the fascists. The weak (Jews, Westerners, disabled, and elderly) were simply not worthy of