Posted on 05/05/2020 7:22:07 AM PDT by yesthatjallen
A new academic paper produced by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York concludes that the deaths caused by the 1918 influenza pandemic “profoundly shaped German society” in subsequent years and contributed to the strengthening of the Nazi Party.
The paper, published this month and authored by New York Fed economist Kristian Blickle, examined municipal spending levels and voter extremism in Germany from the time of the initial influenza outbreak until 1933, and showed that “areas which experienced a greater relative population decline” due to the pandemic spent “less, per capita, on their inhabitants in the following decade.”
The paper also showed that “influenza deaths of 1918 are correlated with an increase in the share of votes won by right-wing extremists, such as the National Socialist Workers Party” in Germany’s 1932 and 1933 elections.
Together, the lower spending and the flu deaths “had a strong effect on the share of votes won by extremists, specifically the extremist national socialist party" — the Nazis — the paper posits. “This result is stronger for right-wing extremists, and largely non-existent for left-wing extremists.”
SNIP
The paper’s findings are likely due to "changes in societal preferences" following the 1918 outbreak, Blickle argues — suggesting the influenza pandemic’s disproportionate toll on young people may have “spurred resentment of foreigners among the survivors” and driven voters to parties “whose platform matched such sentiments.”
SNIP
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Gee, it couldn’t possibly have had anything to do with, uh, The Depression?
Good to see that the Federal Reserve Bank of NY is focused on its mission. /s
Correlation is not causation, of course.
Seems like they found a correlation, and called it a causation.
Seems like the common trait was probably poverty. Poor people got sicker and died more, yes, and then later poor people were more attracted to political extremism and the hope that a leader could rise to make Germany great again.
So that’s why Nazi parties appeared everywhere; it was the flu.
No, nothing to do with the Treaty of Versailles or runaway inflation.
True individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made.
I can’t even attempt to follow this logic.
There IS a level beyond “Full Retard” and Quint has found it.
This is the standard lie from the Trotsky wing of the Bolsheviks. If you are a socialist and you want global revolution -- international socialism -- then you are Leftwing. But if you are a socialist and you want to focus on revolution in your own country -- national socialism -- then you are rightwing.
Note that Trotsky was a Globalist/International Socialist.
Stalin was a National Socialist.
Hitler was a National Socialist.
There's actually no "rightwing" anything in this story.
I suspect it also led to Communist gains as well.
I wonder how they separated the impact of all the men dying in the war resulting in a greater percentage of women voters who support socialist governments?
That and how the Germans perceived the Versailles Treaty....coupled with the belief by many Germans they were not beaten on the battlefield but were sold out by politicians.
Frankly, I'm surprised that the author didn't tie Hitler's rise to power with Global Climate Change.
Maybe fewer 'poor' people to kiss the butts of German elites (serve them) was the problem... but I'm guessing it's one of the correlation is not causation things...
“Gee, it couldn’t possibly have had anything to do with, uh, The Depression?”
Or maybe that they LOST THE FREAKING WAR!
I agree with your assessment. The marxist revolts in various parts of Germany in conjunction with the terms of the treaty as well as the depression created perfect storm for instability and chaos. This drove the middle class to the NSDAP.
This is the standard lie from the Trotsky wing of the Bolsheviks. If you are a socialist and you want global revolution -- international socialism -- then you are Leftwing. But if you are a socialist and you want to focus on revolution in your own country -- national socialism -- then you are rightwing.
Note that Trotsky was a Globalist/International Socialist. Stalin was a National Socialist. Hitler was a National Socialist. There's actually no "rightwing" anything in this story.
Succinctly stated, my FRiend.
Should be required reading for wannabe "citizens of the world" (among others).
Hitler and Stalin greatly admired each other, despite being enemies.
Figures can lie. Liars can figure.
It is likely that the flu was a contributing factor, but only one factor. Starting in 1918, Germany was hit by:
Spanish Flu 1918-1919
Defeat in the Great War
Collapse of the Hohenzolleren regime 1918
Occupation of the Rhineland 1918
Attempted Communist Revolution 1918-1919
Humiliation of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919
Hyperinflation of the wartime Papiermark 1919-1923
Political instability of the Weimar Constuitution 1919-1933
A global depression 1930-1933
And the Rise of National Socialism 1920-1933
So yeah maybe the Spanish Flu was a factor, but I wager that just maybe some of these other things were a bit of a factor as well.
“...There’s actually no “rightwing” anything in this story....”
You are correct... and that is where controlling the language comes into play.
The Left has been telling that lie for a long time, and people believe it.
If there's any substantial readjustment of American society/politics resulting from the Whan Flu it will be a leftward move...not rightward.
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