Readings on Fascism and National Socialism: Selected by members of the department of philosophy, University of ColoradoVarious
Philosophy
Readings on Fascism and National Socialism: Selected by members of the department of philosophy, University of Colorado
Various
Fascism; National socialism
The Führer-Reich of the [German] people is founded on the
recognition that the true will of the people cannot be
disclosed through parliamentary votes and plebiscites but
that the will of the people in its pure and uncorrupted form
can only be expressed through the Führer. Thus a distinction
must be drawn between the supposed will of the people in a
parliamentary democracy, which merely reflects the conflict
of the various social interests, and the true will of the
people in the Führer-state, in which the collective will of
the real political unit is manifested ...
The Führer is the bearer of the people's will; he is
independent of all groups, associations, and interests, but
he is bound by laws which are inherent in the nature of his
people. In this twofold condition: independence of all
factional interests but unconditional dependence on the
people, is reflected the true nature of the Führer
principle. Thus the Führer has nothing in common with the
functionary, the agent, or the exponent who exercises a
mandate delegated to him and who is bound to the will of
those who appoint him. The Führer is no "representative" of
a particular group whose wishes he must carry out. He is no
"organ" of the state in the sense of a mere executive agent.
He is rather himself the bearer of the collective will of
the people. In his will the will of the people is realized.
He transforms the mere feelings of the people into a
conscious will ... Thus it is possible for him, in the name
of the true will of the people which he serves, to go
against the subjective opinions and convictions of single
individuals within the people if these are not in accord
with the objective destiny of the people ... He shapes the
collective will of the people within himself and he embodies
the political unity and entirety of the people in
opposition to individual interests ...
But the Führer, even as the bearer of the people's will, is
not arbitrary and free of all responsibility. His will is
not the subjective, individual will of a single man, but the
collective national will is embodied within him in all its
objective, historical greatness ... Such a collective will
is not a fiction, as is the collective will of the
democracies, but it is a political reality which finds its
expression in the Führer. The people's collective will has
its foundation in the political idea which is given to a
people. It is present in the people, but the Führer raises
it to consciousness and discloses it ...
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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