Dictatorship and Democracy
HIST-410N Week 3 Discussion 1: Dictatorship and
Democracy
Dictatorship and Democracy (graded)
Analyze Adolph Hitler's rise to power and the policies he used to rule Germany. Textbook tyrant? Overheated
Nationalist? Or the right man for at the right time for the right job?
Responses
Response
Hitler's Rise to Power
Class,
I really think that last week's discussion laid an excellent ground work for what we'll be
discussing this week. Therefore, let's start with the second part of the above prompt.
How did Hitler become dictator? What social, economic, and political realities existed in
Germany that allowed his rise to power to happen?
RE: Hitler's Rise to Power Professor,
Adolf Hitler rose to power in German politics as leader of the Nazi Party (Biography.com). After
that became the chancellor of the German republic of Germany. Hitler started to made
promises to the Germans to gain their vote. “A decisive percentage had been prepared by
their recent experience to follow someone who, if nothing else, promised to destroy the
existing order of things” (Brower, 2013). Some of the realities that existed in Germany were
a big economic depression that had hit the country hard, and a big percent of people were
out of work and lack of confidence in the current government.
RE: Hitler's
Rise to Power
Beatriz and all,
Hitler's rise to power can definitely be traced back to WWI and the failure of
the Treaty of Versailles. Hitler himself fought during the full four•year conflict
and held much resentment toward Germany's political leadership that ended the
war without a Austro•German victory.
http://threadcontent.next.ecollege.com/(NEXT(3282b38d843641a09c2a696b8c9ec181))/Main/CourseMode/Topic/TopicPrintView.ed?
topicID=6000009370058&s... 1/36
, Dictatorship and Democracy
Last week we discussed how the Versailles treaty and WWI left Germany with
absurd inflation (people actually burned money for heat since it was worth more
in the fire than at a store!), depression, humiliating military restrictions, and
great loss of territory.
What did Hitler offer to the German people who were dealing with these
problems?
RE:
Hitler's
Rise to
Power
One of the key positions Hitler held up to the Germans that appealed to
his nationalistic rhetoric was the scapegoating of specific people. In his
case, anyone not of "pure Aryan race", and more specifically, the Jewish
population. He was also shaped by his experience on the front lines of WWI,
and he, as did Italy's Benito Mussolini, felt he was the rightful leader of his
new nation. Both Mussolini and Hitler believed, as stated in text,
"denounced the alleged decadence that democracy and modern life had
spread among their people. They blamed toleration of diversity and
individualism for these ills. Both scorned human rights and glorified national
solidarity and combat. In mass democracies, they turned the liberties
guaranteed citizens into the means to create political dictatorship" (Brower
2013, p.128).
Hitler used the ethnic diversity of Europe as a means to stoke hatred
against those who he felt had wronged Germany. He wrote about the how
Jews had profited from the war in his book Mein Kamph, and equated the
Bolsheviks and Social Democrats with the perceived "Jewish threat" to
Germany.
RE:
Hitler's
Rise to Professor Ohara 9/14/2016 2:55:09 PM
Power
Ivan,
Good points regarding what Hitler offered the
impoverished, humiliated people of Germany.
Also, very good analyses on how Hitler came to power. Hitler
used both legal and illegal means of obtaining power. The Nazi
party tolerated other parties within the government up to a
point, but was ruthless when it came to eliminating
competition. Let’s try to organize this discussion a bit by
answering the two following questions.
1. What political positions did Hitler and the Nazi Party
legally infiltrate through electoral and other political means?
2. What illegal tactics did Hitler and the Nazi Party take part
in to move Germany toward dictatorship?
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, Dictatorship and Democracy
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, Dictatorship and Democracy
RE:
Hitler's 9/14/2016 7:22:25 PM
Gambo Abdullahi
Rise to
Power
Hitler became the leader of his party and was elected to
power through electoral and political means. This
However, when he came to office began the process of
consolidating power. The Nazi party created a
pseudo•crisis by setting the Reichstag on power and
blaming it on the communists. This was an illegal tactic.
This made President Hindenburg suspend civil liberties at
Hitler's behest. It also led to the Reichstag delegating
powers to Hitler create a people's treason court that
acted outside the system. These were the early steps
toward dictatorship.
RE:
Hitler's
Rise Ava Brown 9/14/2016 8:33:26 PM
to
Power
According to the required course text, Hitler took the law
into his own hands by intimidating and terrorizing at will,
anyone who opposed him and his Nazi regime. Members
of the special paramilitary group he created in the way of
the Stormtroopers (SA), and the elite bodyguard group in
the way of the Schutzstaffel (SS), both infiltrated the
police force where they were able to carry out Hitler's
violent acts "legally." One such act was the burning of
the parliamentary building, which was blamed on the
Communist party. Hitler further persuaded the German
president to grant him the right to "protect" Germany
and Germans, a power he used to obtain further
parliamentary approval for the Enabling Act, authorizing
"rule without constitutional restraints" (Brower, 2014).
From here, it was all roads leading to dictatorship.
RE:
Hitler's
Rise to Alex Mac Clay 9/16/2016 4:55:25 PM
Power
The political position that Hitler and the Nazi party
infiltrated was the position of Chancellor of Germany, he
did so through varies tactics which may have been illegal
as well as immoral. Disregarding his conniving tactics all
in all he was a very charismatic speaker and really knew
how to get people to side with him no matter how radical
his actions may be.
The tactics he used that were very effective at the time
seeing as how Germany was going through a Depression
and with the German people feeling discomfort towards
the government for the events that lead to them to the
struggle they face now. He was also able to target
http://threadcontent.next.ecollege.com/(NEXT(3282b38d843641a09c2a696b8c9ec181))/Main/CourseMode/Topic/TopicPrintView.ed?
topicID=6000009370058&s... 4/36
HIST-410N Week 3 Discussion 1: Dictatorship and
Democracy
Dictatorship and Democracy (graded)
Analyze Adolph Hitler's rise to power and the policies he used to rule Germany. Textbook tyrant? Overheated
Nationalist? Or the right man for at the right time for the right job?
Responses
Response
Hitler's Rise to Power
Class,
I really think that last week's discussion laid an excellent ground work for what we'll be
discussing this week. Therefore, let's start with the second part of the above prompt.
How did Hitler become dictator? What social, economic, and political realities existed in
Germany that allowed his rise to power to happen?
RE: Hitler's Rise to Power Professor,
Adolf Hitler rose to power in German politics as leader of the Nazi Party (Biography.com). After
that became the chancellor of the German republic of Germany. Hitler started to made
promises to the Germans to gain their vote. “A decisive percentage had been prepared by
their recent experience to follow someone who, if nothing else, promised to destroy the
existing order of things” (Brower, 2013). Some of the realities that existed in Germany were
a big economic depression that had hit the country hard, and a big percent of people were
out of work and lack of confidence in the current government.
RE: Hitler's
Rise to Power
Beatriz and all,
Hitler's rise to power can definitely be traced back to WWI and the failure of
the Treaty of Versailles. Hitler himself fought during the full four•year conflict
and held much resentment toward Germany's political leadership that ended the
war without a Austro•German victory.
http://threadcontent.next.ecollege.com/(NEXT(3282b38d843641a09c2a696b8c9ec181))/Main/CourseMode/Topic/TopicPrintView.ed?
topicID=6000009370058&s... 1/36
, Dictatorship and Democracy
Last week we discussed how the Versailles treaty and WWI left Germany with
absurd inflation (people actually burned money for heat since it was worth more
in the fire than at a store!), depression, humiliating military restrictions, and
great loss of territory.
What did Hitler offer to the German people who were dealing with these
problems?
RE:
Hitler's
Rise to
Power
One of the key positions Hitler held up to the Germans that appealed to
his nationalistic rhetoric was the scapegoating of specific people. In his
case, anyone not of "pure Aryan race", and more specifically, the Jewish
population. He was also shaped by his experience on the front lines of WWI,
and he, as did Italy's Benito Mussolini, felt he was the rightful leader of his
new nation. Both Mussolini and Hitler believed, as stated in text,
"denounced the alleged decadence that democracy and modern life had
spread among their people. They blamed toleration of diversity and
individualism for these ills. Both scorned human rights and glorified national
solidarity and combat. In mass democracies, they turned the liberties
guaranteed citizens into the means to create political dictatorship" (Brower
2013, p.128).
Hitler used the ethnic diversity of Europe as a means to stoke hatred
against those who he felt had wronged Germany. He wrote about the how
Jews had profited from the war in his book Mein Kamph, and equated the
Bolsheviks and Social Democrats with the perceived "Jewish threat" to
Germany.
RE:
Hitler's
Rise to Professor Ohara 9/14/2016 2:55:09 PM
Power
Ivan,
Good points regarding what Hitler offered the
impoverished, humiliated people of Germany.
Also, very good analyses on how Hitler came to power. Hitler
used both legal and illegal means of obtaining power. The Nazi
party tolerated other parties within the government up to a
point, but was ruthless when it came to eliminating
competition. Let’s try to organize this discussion a bit by
answering the two following questions.
1. What political positions did Hitler and the Nazi Party
legally infiltrate through electoral and other political means?
2. What illegal tactics did Hitler and the Nazi Party take part
in to move Germany toward dictatorship?
http://threadcontent.next.ecollege.com/(NEXT(3282b38d843641a09c2a696b8c9ec181))/Main/CourseMode/Topic/TopicPrintView.ed?
topicID=6000009370058&s... 2/36
, Dictatorship and Democracy
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topicID=6000009370058&s... 3/36
, Dictatorship and Democracy
RE:
Hitler's 9/14/2016 7:22:25 PM
Gambo Abdullahi
Rise to
Power
Hitler became the leader of his party and was elected to
power through electoral and political means. This
However, when he came to office began the process of
consolidating power. The Nazi party created a
pseudo•crisis by setting the Reichstag on power and
blaming it on the communists. This was an illegal tactic.
This made President Hindenburg suspend civil liberties at
Hitler's behest. It also led to the Reichstag delegating
powers to Hitler create a people's treason court that
acted outside the system. These were the early steps
toward dictatorship.
RE:
Hitler's
Rise Ava Brown 9/14/2016 8:33:26 PM
to
Power
According to the required course text, Hitler took the law
into his own hands by intimidating and terrorizing at will,
anyone who opposed him and his Nazi regime. Members
of the special paramilitary group he created in the way of
the Stormtroopers (SA), and the elite bodyguard group in
the way of the Schutzstaffel (SS), both infiltrated the
police force where they were able to carry out Hitler's
violent acts "legally." One such act was the burning of
the parliamentary building, which was blamed on the
Communist party. Hitler further persuaded the German
president to grant him the right to "protect" Germany
and Germans, a power he used to obtain further
parliamentary approval for the Enabling Act, authorizing
"rule without constitutional restraints" (Brower, 2014).
From here, it was all roads leading to dictatorship.
RE:
Hitler's
Rise to Alex Mac Clay 9/16/2016 4:55:25 PM
Power
The political position that Hitler and the Nazi party
infiltrated was the position of Chancellor of Germany, he
did so through varies tactics which may have been illegal
as well as immoral. Disregarding his conniving tactics all
in all he was a very charismatic speaker and really knew
how to get people to side with him no matter how radical
his actions may be.
The tactics he used that were very effective at the time
seeing as how Germany was going through a Depression
and with the German people feeling discomfort towards
the government for the events that lead to them to the
struggle they face now. He was also able to target
http://threadcontent.next.ecollege.com/(NEXT(3282b38d843641a09c2a696b8c9ec181))/Main/CourseMode/Topic/TopicPrintView.ed?
topicID=6000009370058&s... 4/36
