On Fascism, Part II

Welcome back.

In this series (Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V), I will continue to explore the ideological underpinnings of the German Fascist movement by looking at the 25-point plan put forth by the National Socialist German Workers Party. By “updating it”, freeing it from its historical context, I hope to create a blueprint for identifying a modern American Fascist movement.

Trigger Warnings: Politics, History.

(Note: All of the text used is from the translation on Wikipedia)

5. Whoever has no citizenship is to be able to live in Germany only as a guest, and must be under the authority of legislation for foreigners.

This seems straightforward enough:

5a. Noncitizens may reside in America only as guests, and must remain under the authority of the laws of the United States of America.

6. The right to determine matters concerning administration and law belongs only to the citizen. Therefore, we demand that every public office, of any sort whatsoever, whether in the Reich, the county or municipality, be filled only by citizens. We combat the corrupting parliamentary economy, office-holding only according to party inclinations without consideration of character or abilities.

I’m not sure how dysfunctional the parliamentary office appointments of the Weimar Republic were or weren’t, but the point seems to function fine without the last sentence:

6a. The right to determine matters concerning administration and law belongs only to the citizen. Therefore, we demand that every public office, of any sort whatsoever, be filled only by American citizens.

7. We demand that the state be charged first with providing the opportunity for a livelihood and way of life for the citizens. If it is impossible to sustain the total population of the State, then the members of foreign nations (non-citizens) are to be expelled from the Reich.

Intimate knowledge of the many social welfare programs of the Weimar Republic seems unnecessary; this point translates very clearly:

7a. We demand that the government of the United States of America ensure the American Way of life, and allow the pursuit of happiness for all citizens. If it is not possible to sustain all citizens, then members of foreign nations, resident aliens, and other non-citizens are to be deported.

8. Any further immigration of non-citizens is to be prevented. We demand that all non-Germans, who have immigrated to Germany since 2 August 1914, be forced immediately to leave the Reich.

August 2^nd, 1914 was the day that Germany invaded Luxembourg, an important early date in WWI. It was approximately eight years prior to the public announcement of the 25-point plan by Adolf Hitler (February 24, 1920).

Obviously, this has no clean modern analogue, but the intention seems clear enough, as the economic unrest leads to a familiar sentiment. And certainly, real world events have conspired to make this less abstract than when I started writing:

8a. All new immigration to the United States of any persons unfriendly to the American way of life is to be suspended. All recent immigrants fitting this category, as well as all illegal immigrants, must therefore be immediately deported.

To be continued. (Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V)