I don't disagree with you but I will add something.Drakef wrote:
Anti-Semitism is not among the ideologies that I meant, and neither is that one in particular important to the cause of the Second World War.Reciprocity wrote:
I don't think Hitler invented anti-semitism but a scewed economy did help.Drakef wrote:
The creation of radical new ideologies and the uncertain economic conditions that permitted these ideologies to flourish.
The actual cause was Henry Tandey. Son of a bitch.
The ones I refer to are communism and fascism. More particularly, the latter one. Overall, it was increasingly militaristic governments that were given more power by citizens desperate from the economic crisis. The electorate would not have turned to Hitler (and to a lesser degree, Mussolini, Lenin, and the various military governments of Japan) had there not have been desperation. With nothing to lose, the more radical of solutions become evident as the most likely of solutions. Make no mistake, from the major dictatorial governments to the minor powers, most of the belligerent nations were well supported by the people.
Naturally, the Treaty of Versailles not only contributed to the poor economy, primarily in Germany, and it furthered the blame in Germany upon not only other nations, but also on traditional elements of German government.
Actually, in Germany, anti-semitism was an important factor. Whereas Mussolini's fascism was rooted in national identity, specifically above class distinction and discrimination, Hitler generated national unity by appealing specifically to the working class, the natives, by claiming that the Jews, the alien aristocracy, were the root cause of Germany's problems. Mussolini derided socialism and the class struggle as the source of Italy's problems. Hitler stoked the flames of Germany's class struggle specifically to gain power. So I guess you're referring to Hitler's own brand of fascism. Hitler used his national socialism to attain his own fascist state.
Different approaches to similiar problems to reach the same outcome. Versailles left Germany immasculated in defeat and buried in compounding debt. Italy was left immasculated in victory.
