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These are actually my history notes
SOCIAL REVOLUTION
The Weimar republic did not change much- the same old elites continued to be dominant and the old divisions of class and religion continued through from the old days. Though the country was superficially different, it can be argued that not much actually changed under Weimar government. Instead people point to Nazi Germany as the place where revolution actually took place, as the Nazis put Volksgemeinschaft (a nation community built on national unity and greater equality) in place of old class, race, regional and religious divisions.
To what extent was there a revolution?
MARXIST VIEW
- there was no social revolution
- nazis were puppets of capitalists whose role was to uphold the existing capitalist system and defend it from economic crisis and communist revolution
- evidence: destruction of working class leftist parties, takeover of trade unions, massive profits for big business
- BUT to discredit this, you could argue that the nazis were not puppets, because they introduced their own four year plan which controlled and regulated the economy, clearly showing the nazis taking control of the economy for their own interests and not anyone elses
COUNTER REVOLUTIONARIES
- turner says no revolution, except for the way nazis turned the clock backwards in a revolution against new social trends
- evidence: emphasis on strengthening the role of peasants in german society, help for farmers, ideology "blood and soil", women staying in the home
-these views are challenged by..
DAHRENDORF AND SCHOENBAUM
- who say that nazis did not achieve a counter revolution. because of re-armament, nazis encouraged rapid growth of industry and modernised germany! they also destroyed the traditional loyalties to class, religion, region, family, paving the way for a social revolution
- evidence: growth of industry, return of women to work in factories, weakening of class structure, hitler youth weakening family values, etc.
- this 'interpreted reality'- if the germans believed that society was becoming better, this is evidence of a social revolution in attitudes and beliefs
SO YEAH THERE WAS A SOCIAL REVOLUTION?
- but it might not have been achieved because there was not time- nazis were only in power for 12 years, 6 of which were spent in war
- ideology emphaised 'volksgemeinschaft', a genuine desire to build a new society based on nationality over class, religion, wealth etc
- evidence: there is some evidence that can be intepreted as a weakening of class structure- workers did better, elites were weakened. youth were indoctrinated, attempts made to establish a new religion, crucial attempt to make race the key factor in german society ALL POINT to social revolution
BUT
it is generally agreed that nazis were better at destroying things than creating new things, implying no social revolution but more of a mix of counter revolution and marxist's interpretation of events
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