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Frequently asked questions

Q: Why is the Nazi Party labeled a far-right party? They called themselves socialists, so should they be left-wing?

A: Almost all historical and present-day academic literature places the Nazi Party on the far-right of the traditional left-right spectrum, which in turn is the most common short-form classification used in political science. The Nazis themselves attacked both left-wing and traditional right-wing politicians and movements in Germany as being traitors to Germany. While the Nazi regime's economic policies are very different from those of present-day right-wing parties that adhere to classical liberal or neoliberal positions (which advocate, e.g., a highly deregulated, privatized economic environment), Nazi economic policy was typical of the early to mid twentieth century far-right, and indeed most political currents of the time, in that it embraced interventionist economics. The Nazi Party absorbed the far-right reactionary monarchist and nationalist German National People's Party into its membership in 1933. The Nazi Party also held good relations with openly right-wing political movements in Europe, such as the Spanish Confederation of the Autonomous Right, whose leader Gil-Robles was a guest at the 1933 Nazi Party Nuremberg rally and sought to model his movement upon the Nazi Party.

Q: If socialism is mainly left-wing and they called themselves socialists in their name, why is this being ignored?

A: Historically several right-wing figures used the term "socialism" to mean something very different from what would be understood by traditional left-wing socialism, referring simply to the broader concept of collectivism and anti-individualism. The prominent French reactionary monarchist Charles Maurras famously said "a socialism liberated from the democratic and cosmopolitan element fits nationalism well as a well made glove fits a beautiful hand". Maurras' views influenced fascism. Oswald Spengler's ideal of "Prussian Socialism" directly influenced Nazism, and Spengler promoted it as a member of the far-right Conservative Revolutionary movement.

Q: Were the Nazis actually a capitalist movement?

A: The answer depends on the context and definition of capitalism. Ideologically, Hitler in private was just as opposed to the ethos of capitalism as he was in public as a politician; he regarded the capitalist ethos as being self-centred individualism that was incompatible with nationalism. Furthermore, in both public and private Hitler regarded capitalism as being created by the Jews for their own interests. The Nazis in public and in private held contempt for bourgeois culture in liberal capitalist societies - as they associated such bourgeois culture with a cosmopolitan, liberal, and decadent lifestyle that was incompatible with the Nazis' ideal of a nationalist martial ethic of disciplined soldiers who were collectively committed to the Fatherland above any individual interest. So ideologically, Nazism held strong antipathy to capitalism. However at the same time Hitler and the Nazis endorsed private property and private enterprise and did not challenge the market economy, which was important to their accrual of power because it avoided antagonizing industrialists and aristocrats. The Nazis themselves claimed that "true socialism" did not involve the Marxian opposition to private property. But if capitalism is defined in a minimum way as involving the support of the existence of private property, private enterprise and a market economy, then from that minimum definition, the Nazis could be considered as endorsing a capitalist economy.

Q: The proper English name for the Nazi Party is the National Socialist German Workers Party (German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP). "Nazi" is a slang term, so why does the article not use the proper name?

A: Because English Wikipedia uses the common name for things, and the common name for the NSDAP in English is the "Nazi Party".

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The National Socialist German Workers' Party was leftist, not rightist

Sorry but this statement is inaccurate "The National Socialist German Workers' Party (German: About this sound Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (help·info), abbreviated NSDAP), commonly referred to in English as the Nazi Party (/ˈnɑːtsi/), was a far-right political party in Germany that was active between 1920 and 1945 and practised the ideology of Nazism. Its precursor, the German Workers' Party (Deutsche Arbeiterpartei; DAP), existed from 1919 to 1920." The Nazi party is LEFT-WING ideology, as many of the posters on this 'talk page' point out. The thesis that because this is a common mistake in common parlance and in literature does not mean that it is correct to reinforce the mistake with continued misrepresentation. The facts are that the leftist policies of the Nazi party are clear to those who care to read about it. Wikipedia does a disservice to understanding history to refer to the Nazi party as 'right-wing'. There were no right-wing policies of the Nazi's save two: patriotism and respect for tradition. These are not exclusively Right-Wing policies, only the ones Nazism and current right-wing adherents share. The policies the Nazi's shared with the left-wing adherents share are more numerous and salient. These are: Social equality and egalitarianism, an opposition to society inequalities - especially financial, and opposition to tiers in society such as castes. Nazis and Left-wingers are radicals, reformists, and revolutionary.

For sources try searching Wikipedia: Left wing — Preceding unsigned comment added by 139.62.53.207 (talk) 19:05, 7 August 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Patriotism is not a right-wing policy. The word you're looking for is "nationalism". 47.185.39.179 (talk) 00:44, 10 December 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Please fix this. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 139.62.53.207 (talk) 19:02, 7 August 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Content is based on what reliable sources say. While the opinion you suggest is found on many websites expressing fringe views, that is not how experts see it. TFD (talk) 20:42, 7 August 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Calling Nazis left-wing is close to mockery towards the thousands of communist/socialist victims of Nazism.

How do you figure? Stalin killed lots of Communists. I suppose he's right wing, too? "Reliable sources" can be biased. If gays can define themselves, and Christians can define themselves, then National Socialists can define themselves--as socialists. As their anti-capitalist, anti-bourgeois, anti-big business attitudes demonstrate. You know: All those things so-called "right wing" Patriots and Tea Partiers support. They were left wing, and claiming otherwise requires mental contortions that indicate insanity. Half of the 25 point plan matches the current DNC platform. I guess that makes them right wing, too. And Pinochet is a closet liberal.

Completely agree. Socialism in its very definition is left wing. Therefore this whole page is considered factually incorrect and has no merit. Flyingpenguin74 (talk) 04:55, 2 September 2017 (UTC)[reply]

And furthermore it is NOT making a mockery towards the thousands of socialists as those that were victims ie sent to camps in 1933 I know personally were those that opposed Hitler and why he lost the national elections twice. Hitler used the Sturmabteilung to create chaos and violence towards opponents and as the Sturmabteilung were mainly ex soldiers from WW1 would then restore order as the Police were not as well organised or prepared for such circumstances. And as such once Hitler was chancellor in 1933 the camps were opened and his opposition imprisoned. Flyingpenguin74 (talk) 05:52, 2 September 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Right wing?

The last time i checked, socialism is a far left wing ideology. Rancoridge333 (talk) 13:48, 22 August 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Please read the FAQ found at the top of this very page for more information. (Or click here). — nihlus kryik (talk) 13:49, 22 August 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The FAQ, frankly, is delusional crap. There's no more diplomatic way to state it. "Right-wing anti-capitalists" are like "militant pacifists."

Socialism is not considered a far left ideology. TFD (talk) 05:57, 2 September 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Please put out the "medical marijuana" before you comment. Stalin is now "right wing"? Or is "right wing" anything a "liberal" doesn't like? Sort of like "Fascist."

Socialism, fascism, and to a specific notice, Nazism are all far left ideologies, as was the concept of pro-slavery by the confederacy during the American Civil War. Any claim of the Nazi party being "right wing" is false, as the Nazis were extremely left wing. Fascism itself is defined as a left wing ideology, not associated with the right wing. Right wing ideologies favor capitalism. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Pietric Learning Stone (talk • contribs) 13:04, 30 October 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Fascism was pro-capitalist and Ludwig von Mises was the chief economic adviser to the Austrian fascists. Slavery too was capitalist as it was defended by property rights. I agree though that socialists, who were the only ones who did not vote to give Hitler absolute power, were left wing. TFD (talk) 14:42, 30 October 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Pietric Learning Stone - Please read the prior discussions on this subject on this talk page, including [1] Archive 6 and the "Frequently asked questions" section, as well. Kierzek (talk) 15:04, 30 October 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Semi-protected edit request on 2 September 2017

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Change far-right to far-left in the first paragraph. Socialist parties are on the left side of the political spectrum 100.15.206.223 (talk) 18:03, 2 September 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Not done: See the FAQ at the top of this very page. — nihlus kryik (talk) 18:16, 2 September 2017 (UTC)[reply]

You are proof that Pinochet did nothing wrong.

Political demographics of Holocaust victims

Speaking precisely about the Holocaust and not the political repression or the war victims initiated by the Nazi State, one may correct the following sentence to be found in paragraph 3 of the article; "The persecution reached its climax when the party-controlled German state organized the systematic murder of approximately six million Jews and five million people from the other targeted groups, in what has become known as the Holocaust", since the reference to five million people is including those subject to totalitarian repression and not the Holocaust specifically. The Holocaust refers to those targeted for annihilation and that would be the Jewish and ROMA Peoples. Since 1.5 million ROMA were exterminated in the death camps that would mean the 5 million figure should be changed to 1.5 and specifically mention the ROMA People. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.143.209.200 (talk) 01:08, 23 October 2017 (UTC)[reply]

I tweaked the WP:Lede and added a link and WP:RS cite; and added detailed text to the body of the article, which covers the above; in addition to further links and RS cites, accordingly. Kierzek (talk) 12:56, 23 October 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Overlinking

“anti-semitism” (and its variants- anti-semitic, etc.)is linked a lot in the article, which following the manual of style probably should be avoided, so should we change that? Also I assume other terms are probably overlinked as well. SimplicityWalrus (talk) 14:29, 28 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Go ahead and check the article; it happens, usually when additions occur to sections and editors don't realize something has been already linked or it happens due to editors not knowing, there should be one link to something in the lead and one link at its first mention in the body of an article. Kierzek (talk) 18:17, 28 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Semi-protected edit request on 26 December 2017

This edit request has been answered. Set the |answered= or |ans= parameter to no to reactivate your request.

I was reading about left wing socialist policies recently and then decided to check the wiki. Why does Nazi party is described as being right wing, even though there was almost nothing right wing in it, especially in terms of what they were advocating for?

That makes little sense and looks like someone tried to redifine the meaning.

By that logic, US republicans should be socialists or advocating for only one race, since they too are labeled “right-wing”. But that is incorrect, because their economic and racial policies are completely opposite of that. So, what gives? Who labebeled Nazi party of Germany left wing and where is the source that indicates that? Sunamer (talk) 22:13, 26 December 2017 (UTC)[reply]

We have a FAQ at the beginning of this page. Dave Dial (talk) 22:54, 26 December 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Because what articles say is based on reliable sources not uninformed people such as yourself. If you want to argue that Nazis were left-wing, the moon landing was faked and Barack Obama was born in Kenya, then go to a conspiracy theory website. TFD (talk) 00:46, 27 December 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, and Donald Trump is a secret Russian agent who hates Jews despite having them in his family and cabinet and recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital. "Reliable sources." Your references to conspiracy nuttery is only relevant to the claim that anti-capitalists are "right wing."

TFD please remember WP:BITE, the response above yours was sufficient. Darkstar1st (talk) 15:27, 27 December 2017 (UTC)[reply]

National Socialism or Nazism?

@Carptrash: @Helper201: Take the discussion here. GaiusoftheJulii (talk) 23:27, 31 December 2017 (UTC)[reply]

If you wish to use "National Socialism" instead of "Nazism", then the more appropriate action would be to request a move of the Nazism article. K.e.coffman (talk) 00:24, 1 January 2018 (UTC)[reply]

That has been tried before (more than once) but it always falls foul of WP:COMMONNAME. Nazism is almost always called Nazism in English speaking countries. This is the term used in most English language books on the subject. Generally the term "National Socialism" is not widely understood. (This is the reverse of the way it runs in German speaking countries which is why the German language Wikipeda articles are different.) In the past we have had people wanting to change it in order to further a bizarre political agenda that seeks to conflate Nazism with unrelated left wing ideologies, either in a ham fisted attempt to rehabilitate Nazism in some way, or else to taint the left by association with it. I do not think that renaming the article would aid anybody's understanding of the subject.

So, I think the long-standing consensus is that it is fine as it is. Anybody following the link to Nazism will be told that "National Socialism", "Nationalsozialismus" and "Nazism" are all names for the same thing in the very first sentence. Anybody searching for National Socialism will be redirected to the Nazism article. Anybody looking for other stuff with similar names will find a link to National Socialism (disambiguation) which lists a depressing number of Nazi influenced organisations as well as a few other unfortunate organisations that just happen to have similar names. In short: I think that we have the correct articles with the correct names in order to provide our readers with the information they want under the titles they most expect to find it. --DanielRigal (talk) 02:14, 1 January 2018 (UTC)[reply]

WP:COMMONNAME applies. Also clearly given the English Wikipedia article name it is the appropriate one to use. No consensus to change it. Kierzek (talk) 04:34, 1 January 2018 (UTC)[reply]