Authoritarian Minorities in Germany and America

Der Tagesspiegel published the findings of a survey conducted by the University of Leipzig concerning German attitudes towards foreigners and towards democracy in general (via Politisch Korrekt) .  The results are sobering:

Diese erste Untersuchung ergab, dass rechtsextreme Einstellungen kein Randphänomen, sondern in der Mitte der Gesellschaft verwurzelt sind. Ausländerfeindlichkeit ist demnach die am weitesten verbreitete rechtsextreme Einstellung - 26,7 Prozent der Befragten stimmten damals entsprechenden Thesen zu. Neun Prozent gaben an, sie betrachteten die Diktatur als die unter Umständen bessere Staatsform. 15,2 Prozent sehnten sich nach einem "Führer" mit starker Hand, 26 Prozent nach einer einzigen Partei, von der die "Volksgemeinschaft" verkörpert werde. (This first study showed that right-wing extremist views are not fringe phenomena but are rather rooted in the center of society. Hostility towards foreigners is the most widespread right-wing extremist attitude: 26.7 % responded in the affirmative to items expressing this viewpoint. 9% indicated that a dictatorship is a preferable system of government under certain circumstances; 15.2% long for a  "Führer"  with a strong hand, and 26% would welcome a one-party system that embodies the values of the Volk.)

So according to this study approximately one quarter of the German population could be described as having an authoritarian orientation. How does this compare with the United States? We pride ourselves as being the font of democratic ideals, the beacon of liberty for the entire world.  And yet studies show that a sizable portion of the American population would gladly trade civil liberties for the security of a police state.

John Dean's 2006 book  Conservatives Without Conscience examined the latest research into authoritarian attitudes in America and found that 23% of Americans could be described as ``enemies of freedom, antidemocratic, antiequality, highly prejudiced, mean-spirited, power hungry, Machiavellian and amoral." 23% of America is close to the entire population of Germany. Can authoritarianism be eradicated?  Probably not.  The writer and psychologist Eric Fromm showed that the authoritarian impulse is a feature of modern existence in his brilliant book Escape from Freedom. But the threat can be diminished to some extent through educational programs and contained through vigorous defense of hard-won civil liberties.   

Comments

[erphschwester]

das deckt sich mit den feststellungen, die ich schon vor ca. zwei jahren in meinem alten blog machte. die rechten sind "sanfter" geworden. sie übernehmen, kaum verändert, lieder von bettina wegner, die ja nun alles andere als rechts ist. sie sehnen sich nach "ordnung und sicherheit", sie wenden sich ab von der "bildungsfernen" schicht der gesellschaft (oder dem "prekariat").
sie verlangen nach einer "starken hand", die alles wieder in ordnung bringt (auch um den preis der eigenen freiheit).

[David]

sind die Beitraege von deinem alten Blog voellig verschwunden?

[erphschwester]

in meinem ärger über die raffgierigen neuen betreiber habe ich sie gelöscht und nur noch auf meinem pc.

[erphschwester]

da ist er aber:

18.02.2005 um 19:42 Uhr
"Sind so kleine Hände" ...
von: erphschwester

... sang vor Jahrzehnten Bettina Wegner und wurde damit als Widerständlerin in der DDR wahrgenommen. Denn natürlich ging es auch um Kinder, aber um sehr viel mehr darüber hinaus: Selbstbewußtsein, Mündigkeit, Gewaltfreiheit usf. Alles Dinge, die sich viele, die die DDR verändern wollten, auf die Fahne geschrieben hatten. Nazis waren das nicht, vor denen Bettina Wegner sang.

Genau die sind es aber, die neuerdings dieses Lied, geringfügig den eigenen Zwecken angepaßt, für sich nutzen. Ebenso geschieht es mit Hannes Vader, dessen Texte nicht einmal einer Veränderung bedurften.

Und man sieht, die Zeit der schreienden, primitiven Nazis ist vorbei. Stille Melodiosität ist der Trend, nicht nur bei der Musik, sondern überhaupt gibt sich NPD nebst Anhang neuerdings gern feinsinnig-intellektuell. Wodurch der Eindruck entstehen könnte: "Die sind ja gar nicht so schlimm !". Und daß die dem Mann von der Straße auf die Schnauze gucken, ist ja nicht neu.

Wenn also in diesem bunten Parteieneinheitsbrei, der uns zur Zeit umgibt, da plötzlich Leute auftauchen, die den Herrn Jederman verstehen und dann noch Alternativen zu den etablierten Erfolglosparteien anzubieten scheinen - wen wundert´s, was da passiert ?

Wehret den Anfängen !
JA, WIE DENN, WENN MAN GAR NICHTS MEHR SO RECHT UNTERSCHEIDEN KANN ?

[Mr. Joseph Marquez]

"Hate in General"

Hate is nothing new and most of the time it is a reaction to a threaten situation either personally, politically or economically. However we must be careful not to automatically suggest hate as the dominate factor.

Yesterday the German Volk was mistreated and misguided for exploitive purposes prior the rise of the Nazi Party because Germany was starving, divided, despised by other European nations, threaten by the Communist Party and robbed by foreign investors sucking the wealth of Germany. Therefore it is understandable to a degree, depending on ones point of view, why many Germans are anti foreigner or at least suspicious. They also have a national right after all, they are Germans. This is true in the case of Japan yet no one dare brings this out in the open.

In the United States the situation is different because those in power are not natives of the state but foreigners hiding behind the illusion of American Nationalism. The colonialist is condemned and exposed by the same native people they call illegal aliens, the Mexicana Indiana. Are we to refer the native people of North America as supporters of hate?

In truth emotional reactions are not always hate but anger, frustration or resentment but always called hate by those who fear exposure....

[Dr. Dean]

I generally don't believe in this kind of social science, especially if made in Germany.

1. "Neun Prozent gaben an, sie betrachteten die Diktatur als die unter Umständen bessere Staatsform."

"unter Umständen"

That is exactly what Hayek said about Pinochet. The argument is, that a dictator somestimes could behave "transitional", leading to more freedom.

I don't believe this argument is true - but if 9 percent say that "unter Umständen" dictatorship could be a more appropriate solution we still don't know their reasons. To they really want dictatorship?

It is just a single question and there is a lot of room for interpretation.

2. What kind of "Führer" 15,2 percent prefer?

In this "study" there is nothing (!) tho answer this question. As far as we know (from this study...) 6 percent (15-9) or more want a "Führer" without dictatorship.

What kind of "Führer" these people want? If you ask these Germans, if they want a Führer like, you will get astonishing answers.

As "Führer" most of these people want Merkel or an other democrat

(I am sure about it)

And constantly less than 3 percent of the Germans wish someone like Hitler as Führer (in eastern germany we will get slightly higher numbers like 5 percent).

So, what kind of people these 3 percent are?

I don't know. But let me speak about a neighbor. This man (60 years old and very ill) shouted to me (in a moment i worked für the SPD): "Heil Hitler! Ausländer raus!"

I talked with this man, and to make the story short: He does not like Hitler. We talked a lot of and after our talks he was an supporter of the SPD, lost most of his xenophoby,...

I am not sure what is in the mind of people, and because of this reason i never (really: never) believe that there is such thing like social science if you ask people only five or ten questions.

Maybe it is possible, with this kind of study design, to ask for party preferences (event that usually is complicate) or if they prefer Coca Cola.

I wouldn't say that 20 percent of the people in Germany are "rechtsextremistisch" - but they are a basis for authoritarism.

That is a difference - and this difference explains why someone like Ronald Schill can reach 20 percent of the people, ähm, and loses 19 percent of the votes in the next election.

I believe that in any western society there are roundabout 20 percent of people who would prefer a "strong man".

That does not mean that they prefer nacism.

[David]

@Dr. Dean,

I agree that the article cited above is very superficial and really doesn't tell us much. But the study itself - carried out by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung - was scientific.

You can read the entire study and see the original questionnaire here (pdf):

http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/do/04088a.pdf