Zoe Johnson

Mr. Hawkins
World HistoryP, Period 2
21 March 2016
Why was the Nazi Party often identified with young men of the lower middle class? Is there a
similar pattern among racist groups today?
Nazi Germany has been viewed as one of the most immoral racist groups since its
horrific reign on the Jewish. Over time it becomes necessary to evaluate the
behavioral/methodical patterns of dangerous tyrants to avoid a similar occurrence. As for the
Nazi Party, supporters seemed to be most populated from the lower middle class, specifically
young men. The lower middle class may include those employed in small businesses, offices, or
farms. Why this was the case is most intriguing, as well as whether or not this pattern reappears
as time moves forward.
The primary cause of the Nazi Partys popularity originated from the Depression, when
unemployment climbed from 1.3 million in 1929 to 5 million in 1930. Germany had almost
as many unemployed workers as the rest of Europe combined(Website 1). The Great
Depression is known to provoke desperation just as it had during the rise of Nazi Germany. With
a new focal point in sight, Hitler was finally able to latch onto a group willing to rest their faith
in his methods. Nazi propaganda preached a third path between centralized state planning
and laissez-faire capitalism. Hitler aimed his speeches at the middle classes and, as panic
and bankruptcies increased and the communists began making headway, people voted with
their wallets, and voted for the Nazis(Website 1). As the German public had long since been

in a panic, seeing anyone with a plan to sustain order was a beacon of hope. At this time, those
that needed a leader the most were the homely lower middle class civilians. To ensure the highest
following count, labor unions were abolished and strikes outlawed; all workers were joined
together in the National Socialist Labor Front. Doctors, lawyers, and other professionals
were also forced into National Socialist organizations(Website 1). Hitler was aware of the
vulnerability of the lower middle classmen and therefore targeted them in order to build an
impressive political party. By creating boundaries for the people, they were left with no other
choice but to support.
At this point, the Germans had suffered greatly, causing the middle class to be
susceptible to Hitlers influence. More specifically, The traumatic shock of defeat in World
War I, the terms of the Versailles Treaty, and the economic collapse, involving hyperinflation by 1923 and the massive depression beginning in 1929 were the conditions which
rendered the German people, particularly, the middle class, vulnerable to the appeal of
the Nazis.(Website 2). Young men of the lower middle class were churned through a series of
events that lead them to such severe vulnerability before Hitler even made his first move. To
put it simply, the Nazis were attracted to this particular group because they were the easiest to
convince. In order to appeal to the working class and socialists, the programme included
several measures that would redistribute income and war profits, profit-sharing in large
industries,

nationalization

of

trusts,

increases

in

old-age

pensions

and

free

education(Website 3). Regardless of the state of the people, a crowd cant be completely won
over with the mere thought of change. Hitler persuaded these citizens with promises of greater
standards of living after he had control. Furthermore, what he said depended very much on
the audience. In rural areas he promised tax cuts for farmers and government actin to

protect food prices. In working class areas he spoke of redistribution of wealth and
attacked the high profits made by the large chain stores, [etc.](Website 3). Since Hitler
was young, he was acknowledged for being adept at public speaking. He was especially
manipulative, and in this way he was able to appeal to every coexisting crowd within the
middle class. As apparent as it is how and why the lower middle class was targeted, some may
wish to implore potential patterns amongst racist parties.
As one of the most well-known racist groups in history, it is often wondered by
historians whether or not appealing to men of the lower middle class is a reoccurring trait. First
off, Who are the white supremacists? There has been no formal survey, for obvious
reasons, but there are several noticeable patterns. Geographically, they come from
Americas heartlandsmall towns, rural cities, swelling suburban sprawl outside larger
Sunbelt cities. These arent the prosperous towns, but the single-story workingclass(Website 4). Judging from this generalization, one can recognize right off the bat that the
Nazi Party is not the only group to take this route. Again, it can be assumed that the reasoning
behind this originates from the accessibility of the followers. Similarly, For many farmers
facing foreclosures, the Far Right promises to help them save their land have been
appealing, offering farmers various schemes and legal maneuvers to help prevent
foreclosures, blaming the farmers troubles on Jewish bankers and the one-world
government(Website 4). As Hitler had done, more recent groups have been addressing the
crowd specifically to their needs in order to attract more supporters. This also showcases the
similarities regarding who they chose as their target audience. As of now, many groups have
established refuge in rural communities, where they can practice military tactics,
stockpile food and weapons, hone their survivalist skills, and become self-

sufficient(Website 4). This offers an alternative outlook for more recent racist groups. They
not only utilize the lower middle class for popularity, but use the advantageous setting for their
forces.
In conclusion, the Nazi Party was most closely related to young men of the lower middle
class for reasons regarding efficiency and rationality. Since Hitler was in a hurry to enlighten
Germany with the ideals voiced from his novel, Mein Kampf, building an impressive following
count was essential. Just as well, it appears that since the 1920s, when Hitlers tale began, racist
groups have continued to appeal toward those of the middle class.