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On the flip side, there is a prevailing thought on the right which seems, in their brains, to justify their hatred of the left: the idea that Nazis were socialists--an inherently left system of government that is now being used as an insult and indictment against progressive Democrats.
There is a kernel of truth to this statement in name only-"Nazi" is short for Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, in English: "National Socialist German Workers Party."
This is indeed the name the Nazis settled on as they came into power in Germany in 1929. However calling yourself a socialist and being one or endorsing socialist ideals are completely different things.
So a lesson on the difference warrants being revisited.
In 2017 an ill-informed netizen made the assertion that Nazis were socialists:
Ian Miles Cheong was not even a little bit prepared for the smackdown coming his way from History teacher and writer Mike Stuchbery.
First, we get an intro to the name "Nazi."
Nice jab at toxic gamer culture Mike.
Robert Paxton, author of The Anatomy Of Fascism and a professor at Columbia University in New York, defined fascism as "a form of political practice distinctive to the 20th century that arouses popular enthusiasm by sophisticated propaganda techniques for an anti-liberal, anti-socialist, violently exclusionary, expansionist nationalist agenda."
"Violently Exclusionary"-sounds like the Nazis, no?
Stuchbery continued.
Here is where Germany, devastated by World War I, comes in.
In fact, Hitler's book-the now infamous Mein Kampf, outlines the ambitions of the NSDAP almost step by step by this textbook definition of fascism.
Stuchbery continued, talking about real socialism.
And from there, Stuchbery let us know why he was 100% absolutely done with this conversation.
Boom. Roasted.
Many quickly fell in line with Stuchbery to show their support of his intellectualism.
So next time someone pulls that "Oh but Nazis were socialist!" crap with you, too, go forth and be armed with this information.
