http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/nationalism
The Soviets were Nationalist too.
So were the Chicoms.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/nationalism
1.national spirit or aspirations.
2.devotion and loyalty to one’s own nation; patriotism.
3.excessive patriotism; chauvinism.
4.the desire for national advancement or independence.
5.the policy or doctrine of asserting the interests of one’s own nation, viewed as separate from the interests of other nations or the common interests of all nations.
Origin:
1830–40
nationalism
1844, “devotion to one’s country,” from national + -ism. Earlier it was used in a theological sense of “the doctrine of divine election of nations” (1836). Later it was used in a sense of “doctrine advocating nationalization of a country’s industry” (1892).
nationalism definition
The strong belief that the interests of a particular nation-state are of primary importance. Also, the belief that a people who share a common language, history, and culture should constitute an independent nation, free of foreign domination.
Socialists aren’t ‘right wing’
I think it is better to think of the political spectrum as being laid out on a circle. At one side of the circle, you have maximum freedom consistent with a functioning country (some police, for example). On the other, you have complete government control over everything you can do, own, or even think. So, in my view, the Nazis and the Communists are close together.
Now, the question of which direction you transit from freedom to tyranny is interesting. Some of the paths involve European Socialism, and we call those left; while some involve control of industry rather than direct control of individuals—we call those right.
Mussolini started out as a right wing movement. Hitler is harder to figure... he had both left and right features—it was called “national socialism” after all, but his final destination was virtually the same as Lenin’s and Stalin’s from the view of the populace. Secret police, concentration camps, full control.
Rightwing European. There’s a really big difference between left and right in Europe as opposed to the USA. The media further confuses the issue.
Pym Fortyun was considered “far right” despite being a flaming homosexual.
Sure-—just typical smoke screen BS. NAZIs were left wing—socialist. On the same left side as Marxism.
The “right-left” spectrum is not an apt way of delineating political views. A better way of describing the spectrum is a “liberty-totalitarian” spectrum. Nazism, communism, dictatorships, etc., lie on the totalitarian side of the graph. Representative republics are on the liberty side. The more the citizens in the representative republic give up their freedoms in return for intangibles like stability, security, peace, etc., the more they drift toward the totalitarian end.
Republican’s used to be blue, democrat’s red. Now it seems the complete opposite. It is why labels are always bad.
National SOCIALIST German Worker’s Party. The left has always tried to pretend the Nazis were right-wing, but then, the left always lies.
Keep this on tap for the lefties when they claim Nazis are right-wing:
Nazi is short for:
National Socialist German Workers Party
Covers socialism which is lefty. End of story.
:D
Hoss
In the beginning Joseph Goebbels and Ernst Rohm were the real true believers in the socialism part, Hitler mostly gave it lip service until Rohm was no longer useful to him and liquidated, and Goebbels was so attached to him that he would swallow anything the Fuhrer said.
They’re right-wing, but to say that they’re close to modern day Conservatism is a lie. They’re much closer to the older elitist form of right-wing politics you see in Monarchism that the Liberal-Conservatism that makes up most major Center-Right parties. And yes while they called themselves socialists, it’s wise to bring up the fact that Metternich, the symbol of 19th Century Reaction called himself a “Conservative Socialist”.
Extreme Left = Totalitarian Government control
Extreme Right = Anarchy (no governing control )
It doesn’t help that the meaning of the word “liberal” has changed so much. Jefferson, Lafayette, Madison were considered liberals for their part in the “great awakening” that accompanied the move from monarchys to Republics, from serfdom to freedom. Now, we conservatives are trying to conserve that which was considered liberal then...and todays liberals are just the power hungry statists that they have always been.
In addition, Hitler ran for President against Hindenberg, the conservative, and lost.
That's the easy answer.
It gets much more complicated, however, when you descend from 40,000 feet to ground level. German politics at the time were extremely complex. The Nazis pieced their coalition government out of a strange mix of parties. Plus, major industrial leaders were pushing for them because they thought the Nazis would bring stability and be good for business.
After the quick Nazi coup that effectively ended free elections Hitler became popular among all manner of groups as he stuck it to the western powers and communists.
So, there is enough out there for the western left to persuade itself that the Nazis were conservatives, but that's not really where they came from.
Indeed, Hitler was never fully accepted by the old monarchists and authoritarians. There are famous examples of the old Prussian officer corps who thought he was a social inferior and incompetant.
Political beliefs don't fit neatly along a one-dimensional spectrum. A two dimensional matrix does a better job — where various characteristics can define each dimension.
For instance, “leftists” (or right wing) political parties could be arranged along a second axis “freedom vs. authoritarianism”. NAZIs would considered left-wing, authoritarian.
Nazis are leftists. The only reason anyone calls them rightists, or conservatives, is Communist propaganda.
Hitler took many of his ideas from Mussolini’s Italian Fascist party. Mussolini was a card-carrying Communist, before he decided it was time to stop obeying Stalin and work for himself.
Same with Hitler.
Stalin was an internationalist in the sense that he claimed to rule over the Communist party worldwide. And his ambition was for Russia to conquer the world.
Hitler’s ambition was for Germany to conquer the world.
Big difference.
Perhaps instead of trying to find an appropriate label, you should just describe in detail what you want to say. Try doing it without all those buzz words.
Over the years I’ve read several reports that American Socialists and Communists were just fine with Hitler and the Nazis until they attacked Russia. Only when Germany attacked Communist Russia did the left turn against the Nazis.
Many disagree what "right-wing" and "left-wing" mean. (Same with "conservative" and "liberal".... the senator whose nickname was "Mr. Republican" in the 20th Century would be called a "RINO" by many who are ignorant of history. On the other hand, Abraham Lincoln was a Republican--yet by his standard, any modern small-government conservative would be a RINO!)
For example... If you define "Left-Wing" as someone who fights for equal outcomes, then that's one thing. If you consider it someone who wishes to centralize control rather than honor the individual, that's another. Some would say that Right-Wing means someone who wants to keep tradition and existing social positions...but how does that explain the "Left-Wing" arguing for a progressive tax that punishes those who wish to get ahead?
You mention nationalism, and that's an example like big-government interventionism. Originally considered leftist traits, many people now consider them the traits of the right.
So until people decide on what the definitions are, it's not possible to answer.