Was Hitler socialist? The name of his party in German meant National Socialist Worker's party.?

Question

Was he socialist in name only, or was he a true socialist politically and economically?

Hello....... Any one know the answer to this question?

Answer 1

It's not accurate to say that he was a socialist in name only, or that he was a true socialist. The Nazi ideology simply didn't map that neatly onto a diagram of left vs. right, capitalist vs. communist, or most any other diagram you'd want to draw.

What mattered to Hitler was the Aryan race, first and foremost, and the specifics of how the Aryan race was to be governed were secondary to this. Hitler felt that democracy was weak and inferior to a more authoritarian form of goverment. When he was elected, the party that was previously in power was called the Social Democrat party, as opposed to his "National Socialist Worker's Party" (the literal translation of the formal Nazi party title). The term Nazi was derogatory, and never used by members, who simply preferred to call themselves "National Socialists".

Socialism, broadly put, is about putting the means of production at work to the greatest good of the entire community. For Hitler, the greatest good happened when the means of production worked, at the direction of the "Leader" or Fuhrer, to the greatest good of the Arayan people. Anything was fair game, including nationalization of industry. But if corporations served the Aryan people best, then corporations would exist and would be directed by the Fuhrer.

If all this seems like Hitler had priorities that had little to do with the distinctions of capitalist vs. socialist vs. communist ideology, then that's a good assessment. However, remember that he was bitterly opposed to his rivals, which were the aforementioned Social Democrats and also the Communists. For that reason, Nazi party ideology claimed that the Communists were at the far left of the spectrum, and the National Socialists were at the far right. It wasn't so much about being accurate as it was to differentiate "us" from "them".

Answer 2

No he was not a socialist. The National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei) was the full name of what was originally the DAP (German Workers Party). Hitler changed its name after he became leader.

"The small number of party members were quickly won over to Hitler's political beliefs. In an attempt to make the party more broadly appealing to larger segments of the population, the DAP was renamed on February 24, 1920 to the National Socialist German Workers' Party. The name was borrowed from a different Austrian party active at the time (Deutsche Nationalsozialistische Arbeiterpartei, German National Socialist Workers' Party), although Hitler earlier suggested the party to be renamed the "Social Revolutionary Party"; it was Rudolf Jung who persuaded Hitler to follow the NSDAP naming"

The reason for the addition of National and Socialist was to attract working class nationalist's who would be willing to follow a fascist creed. Many fascist organisations competed with socialists and communists to be the 'real' voice of the disaffected working class (and middle class in the case of fascism)
Indeed Rhom and the SA, where behind some of the campaigns which might be described as 'social'. Strength through Joy etc.

After the 'night of the long knives' when the SS eliminated the leadership of the SA, Nazism abandoned any pretence to have any socialist agenda, and proved itself to be entirely fascistic.

Answer 3

Because the Nazi (national Socialist German workers party) has a Derogatory term for a person who is fanatically dedicated to, or seeks to control, some activity, practice, etc. Communism on the other is on favoring collectivism in a classless society and private ownership of industry. They Might seem similar, but have different goals and Political orientation.

Answer 4

No. Hitler was not a socialist despite the use of the word in the Party name. The Nazis opposed socialism and communism and trade unionism.

Politically Hitler was of the far right. Economically, after the Nazis came to power the best you can say of the Nazi economy was that it was a kind of managed capitalism. The industrialists continued to make profits as long as they produced what Hitler needed for his war machine.

With the onset of WW2 it can be argued that the economy became "gangster capitalism" as Party bigwigs such as Goering and Himmler sought personal gain from enterprises based on slave labour.

From the very beginnings of the Nazi movement Hitler's "socialism" was very much a scam to attract working class people into supporting the movement. In part the "Night of the Long Knives" was a purge to rid the Nazi Party of any socialist element within it.

Answer 5

He was a fascist. He believed in state control of industry but he did not nationalize them as did the socialists in England for example. I think it would be correct to say that his main concern was unification of the German speaking peoples and restoring Germany to what he thought should be its rightful place in the world.

Answer 6

Far right socialist I must say. He believed in socialism for his *people* (german white aryan) . His slogan was "Deutschland uber alles" - Germans above/higher than everybody

it's different kind of socialist we know today.

Answer 7

Well, what's a socialist?
Hitler certainly believed in a collective, but in the interest of Germans only. He was certainly not any sort of conservative.

Answer 8

I would define Fascism as Total government control
while still allowing private property( ie Krupp, Farben)

Communism features Government control without
allowing private property, like the old Soviet Union

yes he was Socialist in that all things existed for the state
factories, the youth

Answer 9

Hitler's beliefs were quite diverse, so it's hard to categorize him. He claimed he was fighting against Jewish Marxism.