Nazi Economics: Ideology, Theory, and Policy

by Avraham Barkai

This respected Israeli scholar argues that fundamental ideological and political goals of Nazi leaders made them receptive to revolutionary economic theories such as those of J. M. Keynes. He examines how the economic system of the Third Reich was based on an anti-liberal philosophy that proved extraordinarily effective in bringing about the 'German Economic Miracle' by 1937.

Genres: History, Economics, Politics

291 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[Albert Bancroft · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating insight into probably the only semi-coherent part of Nazi theories and ideology. Thoroughly researched, a deep dive on the subject. As Barkai points out, it was 'unfortunate' the Nazi's had the right answers to the German unemployment issue, and likely this was in part true due to the special circumstances surrounding the Great Depression. These policies reduced unemployment from 50% in 1932, to 6.7% in 1938. The sections dealing with Agricultural policy were informative and interesting. Those policies could be described as completely socialist. However, while it is true that many policies were borrowed or cloaked in socialist ideas, if not outright borrowed from progressive systems, and contrary to what many have suggested, the comparisons to socialism are overwrought. Socialist policies and ideas were twisted in the same way Capitalist ideas were; only as tool to further Nazi ideals. Using the Nazi's to slander modern day socialists or the left is misinformed. George Orwell and Albert Einstein were socialists, and were directly opposed to the Nazis. Barkai notes this explicitly in the conclusion. Naziism is nothing like a coherent ideology, such as Liberalism, or Marxism.

My only point of criticism: he seemed to dismiss the idea of describing the Nazi's as totalitarian, but then describes the Germans who followed Naziism as "faithful and fanatical" - an apt if partial description of totalitarianism. I'll take the path offered by Hannah Arendt on that one.

In closing he describes the German economy under the Nazi's as a "Nationalistic etatism" - a form of State Capitalism; controlled and directed by complete party dictatorship to serve it's own ends. A society and economy, in which politics invades every aspect and has complete supremacy.

[Stephen]

Listing info needs to be corrected.