09/05/2005 2:01:52 pm
Reminder. Nazism is short for National Socialism. Usually, people refer to Fascism and Nazism as the "extreme right", which should be far from the left. But the scale is wrong; the extreme left and right are ideological brothers. They are just two different collectivist ideologies. Not least was that apparent with the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, and the fact that Hitler and Stalin were impressed by one another. (Something Putin should remember when he celebrates Stalin?s efforts in defeating the Nazis.) Nazism is the nationalist version of socialism. Clearly, its philosophical and economic foundations are socialist. It is socialism with a nationalist part - which also helps to explain the nazi hate for the Jews, who have been successful and important people for capitalism throughout history. This perspective also helps to explain how Communism and Nazism are the two most oppressive and killing ideologies in the history of the world. They share the same cause of putting collectives before the individual. The left, understandibly, doesn?t like to be reminded about this fact. But it is one essential part of remembering the war and avoiding anyhting similar ever happening again.