Robin Odega

Period 4

Apr. 30, 2018

Nazism Vs. Communism

Nazism and Communism are both historic philosophies that have similar

characteristics. At one point in time, Nazi Germany and the Communist Union agreed

to work together, until Adolf Hitler abolished their agreement by declaring war on the

Soviet Union. Their radical behaviors helped inspire rebellions, built empires, and

instigated wars. In fact, their eras are the most criticized ideologoies of the modern

era. Despite each society’s insistent claims of being against each other, Communism

and Nazism are very comparable viewpoints with only small differences.

Most scholars see Nazism, in both theory and practice, as a form of far-right

politics. Themes in regards to far-right politics in Nazism include the idea that

superior people have a right to marginalize other people and “clean” society of

presumed inferior parts. Adolf Hitler and other supporters denied that Nazism was

either on the left-or right-side, and instead they officially portrayed Nazism as a

unified movement. The Aryan society had an influence on Nazism as well. The racial

supremacy of the Aryan race is central to Nazism. Nazism divides human society along

strict religious, ethnic, and racial lines since it’s built on a foundation of pseudo-

science and biological determinism that places Jews, blacks, and other minorities in

very low regard.

Communism, unlike Nazism, focuses on economic ranking – more specifically

the stratification of classes. There are the “haves” and “have-nots,” and Communism
seeks to empower the other to rebel against the first. Each belief system applies an

organized set of rules for “acceptable” political behavior – painting a very bleak

black-and-white world with very little wiggle room for divergent political thought.

Communism first became popular in October Revolution in 1917. Its initial meaning,

however, was established differently each time someone took control, such as

Leninism, Stalinism, and so on.

Ultimately, Communism and Nazism are both different and similar. Communism

gives power to those who are in the middle-class and below, and puts the rich people

below them. They also don’t really care who you are, whether you’re African or

Jewish; it didn’t matter much to them. It did matter to the Nazis, though, because

they believed that the Germans were the master race, and everyone else was below

them. All in all, Nazism and Communism have their own beliefs and society; and

although they thought somewhat differently, they were still able to work together.