this post was submitted on 08 Jan 2024
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This is a common misconception. Even at the height of their power, the Nazis got only 43% of the votes. They were able to win elections because the other parties were unable to come together and run a joint candidate list. If the Social Democrats and Communists had formed a coalition, they might have won instead.
The NSDAP got 43,9% but since another party, the DNVP which was another right wing party they formed a coalition with, got 8% they had majority. So most people who voted did vote for the fascists.
Fair point, the DNVP was a right-wing party, but I wouldn't call them fascist. They were dissolved after Hitler won absolute power (although not imprisoned or killed), and some even worked with the German Resistance.
The Italian Liberals of the 20s adopted a "wait and see" approach, leaving the outnumbered socialists, anarchists and communists to fight both the fascists and the loyalists alone. Then when it was clear that the fascists were winning, the Liberals joined them.
I suspect that the 30s Social Democrats of Germany were similarly irresolute (though didn't join before they were forced to) when dealing with the Nazi threat. Centrists tend to be, whether center-right like the Italian Liberals or center-left like the German Social Democrats.
The social democrats started the iron front, they fought the SA in the streets, they didn't join them. Their party was banned and members where thrown in jail once the Nazis won.
I sit corrected, then. Should have known better than to think Social Democrats as useless as liberals in fighting fascists tbh, given what we're seeing today..