In many ways what we're seeing is unprecedented - but really only as to scope & severity. As in so many things we're seeing, this has been done before, if to a lessor scale. &, I'm convinced, some things were simply test runs for what's happening now. For example, Hitler 1/?
What gave rise to Hitler? To understand that, one has to understand the economic, sociological, & political landscape of Germany before he ascended to power. This is twitter, so ... this'll be terribly incomplete, especially w/regard to WWI. Suffice it to say that Germany 2/
Got trounced & humiliated, were subject to harsh financial penalties in the Treaty of Versailles (1919), & the loss was a shock to most of them - their media told them all they were winning until ... suddenly they learned that they'd lost. That took some yrs to turn around 3/
Fast forward to Germany - 1928 near the end of the Weimar Republic: With somewhat shocking speed, a proud conservative country degraded into (somewhat legendary) hedonism. Much of the strong male leadership was dead. So, naturally, women stepped up to the plate. 4/
Feminism, moral corruption, immoral entertainment, open homosexuality, he/shes, burlesque shows, porn, drugs, alcoholism, weakened police authority, women in high political positions despite the year, gay clubs, prostitution decriminalized. 5/
Interestingly, one of the things that upset the German people the most (other than the gay brothels springing up) was the decriminalization of advertising contraceptives. Condom machines suddenly were everywhere, & "reproductive rights" became a major issue. 6/
Simultaneously, bc of post war economic instability, Weimar Republic govts were strapped for $ & cut police funding. Hiring, training, promotions, raises, modernization stopped. Bad training meant increased failure to prosecute, public scorn was answered by police contempt. 7/
Police often lacked the power to do their job. Sometimes, they were (probably) corrupt. But, given their ineffectiveness, public perception was that one could simply bribe himself out of trouble. The public lost confidence & believed there was no justice. Sounding familiar? 8/
So, what happened? Most Germans were fed up w/ it all. They didn't like the liberal Weimar Republic & its moral depravity. They didn't like the chaos & injustice. There was a growing moral revulsion of the debauchery, corruption, & of how the liberals weakened the police. 9/
And then in 1929, the great Wall Street Crash happened, which threw the U.S. into depression, and the entire world into recession. But Germany was hit hard bc it was heavily dependant on U.S. loans. 10/
1. Moral degradation. 2. Frustrated and outraged populace of being dominated by the depraved liberals. 3. Injustice being flaunted in their faces. 4. Economic collapse. 11/
At the worst of Germany's despair, an unusually charismatic man who promised a glorious future arose (a 1,000 yr Reich, even). He gave the German people hope that they would make Germany great again, & embark on a path that would lead to peace & prosperity. 12/
Moral depravity, economic collapse, the lack of justice, and a population of people frustrated about all of it and desperate for a man to save them from it is what brought about Adolf Hitler. How about now? Sound familiar yet? End/
I don’t imagine this will be a popular thread.
Hitler was not elected
Once you’ve processed that, read this thread for the historical context and goals … https://twitter.com/jonahofninevah/status/1324830585995624456?s=21 …
Screencaps referenced in thread:
Found Michaels' thread on Wayback machine
Thread referenced at the end.
