Rafael Behr warns against relying on the cautionary lessons of the 1930s to address the current rise of far-right and nationalist politics (Left, right, Harris, Trump: all prisoners of political nostalgia in an era few understand, 5 November). Yet it is only by looking at the past that we can avoid repeating its mistakes. Yes, the 1930s shouldn’t be used as a stick to beat current-day nationalist supporters as deplorables. But it is more than helpful to study the source of their appeal in the 1920s and 1930s, and what was successful in countering them then.
On the source, the Weimar Republic’s lack of margin to deliver substantial economic benefits to voters because of war debts and the 1929 financial crash (an early version of “there is no alternative”) combined with the enabling of the Nazis by big businesses and mainstream conservatives to protect them against rising support for the far left. Today, we can see the same mistakes being repeated all over the western world but, as we digest the US election result, what about the tech bros supporting Donald Trump or the willingness of mainstream Republicans to enable him?
