Why did People vote for Hitler?

[Tooting Carmen]

Well obviously the Taliban gave a successful and fruitful vision to their young men that resulted in the defeated of the strongest military organisation in human history, that's a pretty impressive achievement.

A different society without ideals would simply surrender.

Far from all being enemies, I see a strong continuity between the West, Islam and Communism: whatever their important differences, all three of them are based on messianic and universalist ideas where they claim to hold the Absolute Truth to which all must submit. Thus it is no accident that most recent Empires have been one of the above. (Contrast that with pre-Communist China: however ruthless it may have been within its own borders, by and large it left the rest of the world alone, and its belief in non-interference IMHO motivates much of its foreign policy and behaviour even today).

[Teutone]

Far from all being enemies, I see a strong continuity between the West, Islam and Communism: whatever their important differences, all three of them are based on messianic and universalist ideas where they claim to hold the Absolute Truth to which all must submit. Thus it is no accident that most recent Empires have been one of the above. (Contrast that with pre-Communist China: however ruthless it may have been within its own borders, by and large it left the rest of the world alone, and its belief in non-interference IMHO motivates much of its foreign policy and behaviour even today).

The modern west only has economic universalist ideals of promoting free markets world wide, as it couldn't care less when completely authoritarian dictatorships like saudi arabia are solid and reliable trading partners but intervene when socialists get democratically elected.

[Tooting Carmen]

The modern west only has economic universalist ideals of promoting free markets world wide, as it couldn't care less when completely authoritarian dictatorships like saudi arabia are solid and reliable trading partners but intervene when socialists get democratically elected.

That's partly it. But also the NGOs play their part: I have become increasingly sceptical of human rights groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, since they also have a very absolutist and rigid idea of everything which they seek to impose on the world. For example, Amnesty automatically blacklists any country that keeps the death penalty as "retentionist", no matter how free the society is in most other respects. (BTW, I oppose the death penalty, but nevertheless I recognise that sovereign nations have the right to use it if they wish).

[Teutone]

That's partly it. But also the NGOs play their part: I have become increasingly sceptical of human rights groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, since they also have a very absolutist and rigid idea of everything which they seek to impose on the world. For example, Amnesty automatically blacklists any country that keeps the death penalty as "retentionist", no matter how free the society is in most other respects. (BTW, I oppose the death penalty, but nevertheless I recognise that sovereign nations have the right to use it if they wish).

Rare TC W

[Tooting Carmen]

Rare TC W

If there is one idea I find both really loathsome and really silly simultaneously, it is the "End of History" thesis: that one human culture or ideology must beat all others and be accepted, no questions asked. Instead, my two main principles (obviously within reason and with some caveats) are: (1) non-interference and (2) "when in Rome, do as the Romans do". It is (2) in particular which motivates my suspicion towards the global spread of English, much to the bemusement of many forum users (including you IIRC).

[Anglo-Celtic]

It was a perfect storm after World War I of draconian sanctions, a destroyed economy, commie riots, and degenerates. It's a bit like it is here now, and people will still vote for Slow Joe, the real fascist.