Friedrich A. Hayek: Socialist to Nazi
Introduction
The National Socialist Party, more commonly known as the Nazis is perhaps history’s most villainous entities and organizations. However, the term Socialism does not share as deep contention as this group of people. In this day and age, it is easily accepted that Socialism is separated from Nazism, a different movement focused on equity of wealth and resources. This holds water with many political conversations, but Friedrich A. Hayek chooses to investigate this connection in his article “The Road to Serfdom.” In a similar manner to how his article is composed in comparing his time’s United States and Europe to Germany, I too will be finding connections between the movement that occurred to Germany and the movements happening in modern day United States.
How to Gain Power
Friedrich D. Hayek does not claim that all Socialist are secretly Nazis and Fascists. He instead starts his article by making clear that a Socialist movement will result in these parties. This is an important difference, and especially important to highlight in today’s politics. Friedrich D. Hayek begins his first discussion point on power. This power is better categorized as the power over someone, since this kind of power takes place both in business and in government. The Socialist, referred to as a planner in most of Hayek’s articles, seeks to remove the individual’s power. If all power is removed, then the planner has successfully removed all power, meaning no person has a higher authority over another. Unfortunately, to relocate power, power greater than the original power is required. In a less confusing way of putting it, to remove power from a scenario, something with greater authority than any individual in that scenario must remove that power. There is now an entity with greater control and power than any of the original individuals. This is perhaps the biggest steppingstone from Socialism to tyranny reminiscent of Nazi Germany. Going back to Socialists not being secretly Nazis, there are many Socialists who do not want to have this kind of monopoly over power in a nation. This is because these people are good people. Good people could reason that if they had this power, they would use it for the benefit of all. And technically, if everyone was inherently good, then Socialism could work. However, these people are blind to the fact that people are not inherently good. Many of these people are unaware that they are creating an entity more corruptible than the things they seek to destroy. Corrupt companies, monopolies, and crony capitalism are the main objects of Socialistic destruction. However, as pointed out by Hayek, these entities hold little power in comparison to the governmental entity created of the Socialist. In the end, the Socialist has created something easier to corrupt, and something that holds vaster amounts of authority than any capitalist creation ever could.
Why the Bad Guy is on Top
Now that this large entity of power has been amassed, how do the bad guys get on top. Friedrich D. Hayek gives the play by play of how this always ends up. The first step to tyrannical takeover is education. As Hayek explained, the more educated and intelligent a group of people are, the more likely they will be different in both views and tastes. This means that group movements are usually started in groups of low intelligence and similar standards. Standards are more similar when a group of people have the same low education. I will come to the defense of Socialists here by giving some background. Uneducated can does not mean dumb. Using before Nazi Germany, these people were not dumb in this country. The were tired, without shelter, and almost destroyed by World War I. Education was not a concern for them, and almost all the citizens shared the goal of revitalizing Germany. So, when Adolf Hitler came, promising to fulfill this wish, almost all of them agreed. The Germans were in a condition that almost forced a shared standard. Its important to view “uneducated” in the context of the time, thus, to avoid repeats of this situation. The second step focuses on growing the numbers of the group. The best way to grow a group of followers is by attracting ready-made followers. Ready-made followers are people who are gullible and docile, people like the forementioned ‘good people.’ These people are more prone to sympathizing with the causes and values of growing, whose troubles make perfect attractions for these generally nice people. The second step is the most critical and dangerous step of this whole process. It’s critical because this is when the evil of the movement is laid most bare. People are invited into the group to hear of the woes and values of the Socialist movement. If they so desired, they could easily dig deeper to find the gross underbelly. However, in the United States, there are many who do not look further and instead latch on to the exterior of this movement, bringing with it its evil interior. There are many in the United States who view Socialism only to help equality, providing a better form of life to all citizens. There is nothing wrong with helping your neighbor, and that should never be discouraged. However, wisdom should be used heavily. Evil does not operate for anyone to see and usually hides behind the façade of a good deed. This is to say no one is going to openly claim they want to tyrannically take over the United States. It is up to people to discern good from bad. Always take time to double check someone who promises the world. The third and final step that Hayek describes is making an enemy. Similarly to the villainization of Jews in Nazi Germany, leaders of these movements take hold of mankind’s greatest weakness, which is shoving the blame. The movement becomes the ‘us’ while anyone opposed to the movement is the ‘they.’ It is very common for the ‘they’ to be blamed for many of the problems that the original movement had started on. The United States is experiencing this third step. I express my opinion, though controversial, with upmost blatancy and honesty. Political parties have become the ‘us’ and the ‘they.’ It has become taboo to discuss politics in the United States. The running of our country should rely on the creation of ideas between the discussion between different ideologies. Similarly to how it requires heat and friction a blade, it requires conversation and questioning to strengthen ideologies and solutions. However, it is more common to fall under the ‘us’ and ‘they’ style of conversation, which is no conversation at all. Instead of asking why someone thinks a certain way, it is assumed that they think that way because they are the ‘they.’ If someone is not a part of the ‘us,’ then they do not support the cornucopia of good-natured values and ideas and are the ultimate evil. Giving evil a face is the most powerful tool a Socialist movement has, distracting from its very own evil nature. The United States is now a country that lacks conversation, and it is suffering because of this. The opposing side has been so villainized that by simply saying one’s agreement is looked down on, without question. My word of advice would be to relinquish sensitivity. Be ready to be challenged every day and prove wrong. Try to find people who say you are wrong and talk to them. You do not have to accept what they say, but it is important that you truly listen and understand their views. Only then can you grow in your own beliefs.
Friedrich D. Hayek speaks more of the creation of tyranny from Socialism, but I felt that these points are the most important to the problems of modern United States. Values and morals are good to have, however, it is important to understand that these values can be used against you into tricking you into doing something you do not agree with. I warn against sensitivity, and I support self-reflection.