(C) Daily Kos
This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .



How did Hitler use the constitution to break the constitution? [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2025-02-02

We are witnessing a repeat as I post this.*

Adolf Hitler's rise to power and subsequent dismantling of the Weimar Republic's democratic structures is a chilling example of how constitutional mechanisms can be exploited to undermine democracy. Here’s how he did it:

Exploiting Constitutional Weaknesses

Article 48: The Weimar Constitution included Article 48, which allowed the President to take emergency measures without prior consent of the Reichstag (parliament). Hitler, appointed Chancellor in January 1933, persuaded President Hindenburg to invoke Article 48 following the Reichstag Fire in February 1933. This led to the Reichstag Fire Decree, which suspended civil liberties and allowed for the arrest of political opponents.

Enabling Act: In March 1933, Hitler pushed through the Enabling Act, which allowed him to enact laws without the Reichstag's approval. This effectively gave him dictatorial powers. The Act was passed with the support of the conservative parties and under the intimidation of the SA (Sturmabteilung) and SS (Schutzstaffel) paramilitary groups.

Manipulating Elections: Hitler used the existing electoral system to his advantage. By forming coalitions and using propaganda, he increased the Nazi Party's representation in the Reichstag. Despite never winning an outright majority, he managed to consolidate power through political maneuvering and intimidation.

Systematic Dismantling of Democracy

Suppressing Opposition: The Reichstag Fire Decree allowed for the suppression of the Communist Party and other political opponents. Many were arrested, and their seats in the Reichstag were left vacant, reducing opposition to Nazi policies.

Centralizing Power: Hitler centralized power by abolishing state parliaments and replacing them with Nazi governors. This eliminated regional autonomy and ensured that all levels of government were under Nazi control.

Control of Media and Propaganda: The Nazis took control of the media and used propaganda to manipulate public opinion. Joseph Goebbels, the Minister of Propaganda, played a crucial role in spreading Nazi ideology and suppressing dissent.

Legal and Extralegal Measures

Legal Manipulation: Hitler's legal team, led by Hans Frank, exploited the weaknesses in the Weimar Constitution. They used legal means to pass laws that consolidated Nazi power while maintaining a facade of legality.

Intimidation and Violence: The SA and SS were used to intimidate and eliminate political opponents. The Night of the Long Knives in 1934 saw the purge of SA leaders and other perceived threats to Hitler's power.

Hitler's ability to use the Weimar Constitution to dismantle democracy highlights the vulnerabilities in democratic systems. By exploiting legal mechanisms, manipulating elections, and using violence and intimidation, he was able to establish a totalitarian regime. This serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safeguarding democratic institutions and the rule of law.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Most of these are now in play by Trump. He has spoken at his rallies of the remainder. Trump and his sycophants are obviously breaking the law but he controls the Justice Department so who is to stop them?

America has chosen its destiny. I hope the price of eggs is worth it.

* I asked MS CoPilot. This is word for word from MS CoPilot except for my short conclusion. I believe the bot saved me a lot of research and time. It correlates with my college history courses.

[END]
---
[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/2/2/2300731/-How-did-Hitler-use-the-constitution-to-break-the-constitution?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web

Published and (C) by Daily Kos
Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified.

via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/

You are viewing proxied material from magical.fish. The copyright of proxied material belongs to its original authors. Any comments or complaints in relation to proxied material should be directed to the original authors of the content concerned. Please see the disclaimer for more details.