[DuncanWaring]

...whether you came to power through free elections -- after all, Adolf Hitler did that ...

Is that actually true?

As I recall the story, the Nazis got roughly 33% of the Reichstag, then Paul Hindenberg appointed Hitler Chancellor, then they completed their takeover of the government through trickery and thuggery.

[stanne]

Clintons come tom mind?

[stanne]

Clintons come to mind?

[AzSteven]

As I recall the story, the Nazis got roughly 33% of the Reichstag, then Paul Hindenberg appointed Hitler Chancellor, then they completed their takeover of the government through trickery and thuggery.

The German government of the time was a parliamentary system, and the Nazis had just won the largest single block of votes. They also had allied with some other groups in the Reichstag to have gotten an effective majority coalition - the Reichstag Fire was the deciding factor that brought in support from other groups, and Hindenburg was left with little choice.

I would imagine the Nazis were pretty heavy in the trickery, thuggery and false promises mode when assembling their coalition. Certainly none of their political 'partners' mattered much once the Nazis were firmly in the driver's seat.

[Einigkeit_Recht_Freiheit]

Hitler came to power as Chancellor under the Weimar Republic in a fully legal manner. Of course in a parliamentary system the largest party can choose the Prime Minister (or Chancellor). The Nazis never won more than 44% of the vote which was achieved following the appointment of Hitler and when the Nazis used the full power of the state to promote their party. Hitler took absolute power via the enabling acts passed as a result of the burning down of the Reichstag by a Dutch Communist (purportedly). Hope that helps.