"The Death of Democracy: Hitler'sRise to Power" Author Benjamin Hett in Conversation with Charles Taylor

The Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College presented a book discussion "The Death of Hitler's Rise to Power and the Downfall of the Weimar Republic" with the author Benjamin Hett, Ph.D in History at Harvard and Charles Taylor journalist for the NYT and the Nation.   The theater had an overflowing crowd anticipating  parallels drawn between the rise to power of Hitler and Trump.  This assumption albeit with some merit is a travesty to the credibility of democracy. Hett stated from the start the complacent belief in democracy leads to its downfall.  What was fascinating about Hett's findings in his research were myths that have been perpetrated.  Hett credits misinformation & fallacies due to the influence of a prevailing Nazi Germany exculpating their history.  Hett depicted the years in Germany looming after WWI through the early 1930s as a nation reeling from insurmountable casualties from WWI, a previous civil war a regime change a startling recovery from an economic crisis and influx in immigration; including a massive Jewish population. Jewish business were thriving.   Big businesses were flourishing while funding for the military was  diminishing.  Thriving businesses were being met by higher wage demands and pro military forces aligned with oligarchs.  The elite echelons viewed Hitler as "vulgar & thuggish" and an unlikely candidate.  Hitler served throughout WWI as a private never receiving a promotion which was uncommonly rare.  His sergeant described him as lacking leadership qualities.  Hett quoted Madeline Albright equating "the rise of Trump to the rise of fascism."  The panel attributed the denial of the irrational as an opening to a dystopian future.  Despite rational arguments against Hitler he rose by hateful, irrational & outlandish claims.   Credit was given to his public relations manager able to view Hitler from the public's view and worked with it using campaigns that struck the gut and made use of high tech dynamics of the time and powerful media imageries.  According to Hett our country has its periodic outbreaks of insanity; McCarthyism was the example used.  He maintained that there will continue to be a populous pushback to a govt. where its leader assumes sovereign control with executive orders as our nation is imbued with a democratic culture.  Taylor queried Hett as to the repulsiveness of his research.  As a historian Hett argued that most disturbing is the lack of factual reporting and the abdication of duty to uncover evidence and the most gratifying aspect of his work is to uncover archival material that has not been revealed.