The Ideological Origins of Nazi Imperialism

this Study Traces The Evolution Of Imperialist Ideology In Germany From Bismarck In The Mid-19th Century Through Hitler And The Third Reich. Although Much Has Been Written About The Virulently Racist And Anti-communist Ideologies Of The Nazi Party, This Is The First Book To Treat Nazi Imperialism As A Separate Ideology And Set It Within A Sturdy Theoretical Framework. Smith Contends That Nazi Imperialism Represented The Last, Ambitious Attempt To Integrate Two Century-old Ideologies—the Elite, Pro-industrial weltpolitik And The Popular-based, Pro-agrarian lebensraum —into A Single System. In Fact, Smith Argues That It Was Largely The Way In Which The Nazis Attempted To Reconcile These Contradictory Ideologies That Explains Germany's Disastrous Policies During World War Ii. This Wide-ranging Study Also Contributes To The Debates Over Several Other Aspects Of German History, Including German Military Aims In World War Ii, The Continuity—or Discontinuity—of German Policy From Bismarck To Hitler, And The Relation Between Ideology And Social-political Life. library Journal smith Has Written A Scholarly And Intelligent Study Of The Nature And Evolution Of The Ideologies Of Imperialism In Germany During The Century Leading Up To Nazi Expansionism In World War Ii. He Identifies Two Distinct Types Or ``aggregates'' Of Imperialist Ideas In German Politics: A Migrationist Colonialism (later Lebensraum) And An Economic Imperialism (later Weltpolitik), Both Of Which Evolved In The Wilhelmine Years And Continued To Influence Policy Through World War I, Weimar, And Into The Nazi Era. These Ideologies Of Imperialism, Though Logically Inconsistent, Were Followed In Various Forms By The Nazis, And Culminated In The Catastrophe Of Hitler's War. This Is An Important, Challenging, And Difficult Book, Recommended For Academic Libraries And Collections With A German Emphasis. James B. Street, Santa Cruz P.l., Cal. Contents......Page 8 Continuity and Ideology in the Historiography of German Imperialism......Page 12 Imperialism and the Autonomy of Politics......Page 20 Ideology in Modern Political Systems......Page 22 Structure......Page 23 Functions......Page 25 Migrationist Colonialism......Page 30 Economic Imperialism......Page 39 The Colonial Movement of the 1870s and 1880s......Page 41 Perceptions of Change......Page 50 Wilhelmian Politics and Political Fragmentation......Page 53 The Search for a New Politics......Page 58 FOUR: Weltpolitik......Page 61 The Weltpolitiker......Page 62 The Structure of Weltpolitik......Page 73 Social Imperialism and Liberal Imperialism......Page 90 The Elements of Lebensraum......Page 92 Lebensraum and the Pan-German League......Page 103 SIX: Imperialist Ideologies in Conflict, 1890–1914......Page 121 Colonial Development Policy......Page 122 Mittelafrika and the Second Moroccan Crisis......Page 138 The Legitimation of German Imperialism......Page 150 Attempts at Integration in Imperialist Ideology......Page 161 EIGHT: The First World War......Page 175 Weltpolitik and War Aims......Page 177 Lebensraum at War......Page 183 Weltpolitik and Reform......Page 194 The Triumph of Lebensraum in 1917–18......Page 196 Continuities in Weltpolitik......Page 205 Continuity and Change in Lebensraum Ideology......Page 212 Colonialism and the Colonial Movement......Page 222 Geopolitics......Page 227 Hans Grimm and the Popularization of Lebensraum......Page 233 TEN: Nazi Imperialism......Page 240 Nazi Ideology......Page 241 The Imperialist Aspect of Nazi Ideology......Page 247 Conclusion......Page 264 Notes......Page 268 Bibliography......Page 318 C......Page 336 F......Page 337 I......Page 338 M......Page 339 R......Page 340 U......Page 341 Z......Page 342 Contents 8 ONE: Introduction 12 Continuity and Ideology in the Historiography of German Imperialism 12 Imperialism and the Autonomy of Politics 20 Ideology in Modern Political Systems 22 Structure 23 Functions 25 TWO: The Origins of the German Imperialist Ideologies 30 Migrationist Colonialism 30 Economic Imperialism 39 The Colonial Movement of the 1870s and 1880s 41 THREE: Wilhelmian Politics: The Role of Ideology in a Fragmented Society 50 Perceptions of Change 50 Wilhelmian Politics and Political Fragmentation 53 The Search for a New Politics 58 FOUR: Weltpolitik 61 The Weltpolitiker 62 The Structure of Weltpolitik 73 Social Imperialism and Liberal Imperialism 90 FIVE: Lebensraum 92 The Elements of Lebensraum 92 Lebensraum and the Pan-German League 103 SIX: Imperialist Ideologies in Conflict, 1890–1914 121 Colonial Development Policy 122 Mittelafrika and the Second Moroccan Crisis 138 SEVEN: Legitimation and Integration in Wilhelmian Imperialism, 1890–1914 150 The Legitimation of German Imperialism 150 Attempts at Integration in Imperialist Ideology 161 EIGHT: The First World War 175 Weltpolitik and War Aims 177 Lebensraum at War 183 Weltpolitik and Reform 194 The Triumph of Lebensraum in 1917–18 196 NINE: Imperialist Ideology in the Weimar Republic 205 Continuities in Weltpolitik 205 Continuity and Change in Lebensraum Ideology 212 Colonialism and the Colonial Movement 222 Geopolitics 227 Hans Grimm and the Popularization of Lebensraum 233 TEN: Nazi Imperialism 240 Nazi Ideology 241 The Imperialist Aspect of Nazi Ideology 247 Conclusion 264 Notes 268 Bibliography 318 Index 336 A 336 B 336 C 336 D 337 E 337 F 337 G 338 H 338 I 338 J 339 K 339 L 339 M 339 N 340 O 340 P 340 R 340 S 341 T 341 U 341 V 342 W 342 Z 342 Annotation This study traces the evolution of imperialist ideology in Germany from Bismarck in the mid-19th century through Hitler and the Third Reich. Although much has been written about the virulently racist and anti-communist ideologies of the Nazi party, this is the first book to treat Naziimperialism as a separate ideology and set it within a sturdy theoretical framework. Smith contends that Nazi imperialism represented the last, ambitious attempt to integrate two century-old ideologies--the elite, pro-industrial Weltpolitik and the popular-based, pro-agrarian Lebensraum--into asingle system. In fact, Smith argues that it was largely the way in which the Nazis attempted to reconcile these contradictory ideologies that explains Germany's disastrous policies during World War II. This wide-ranging study also contributes to the debates over several other aspects of Germanhistory, including German military aims in World War II, the continuity--or discontinuity--of German policy from Bismarck to Hitler, and the relation between ideology and social-political life This study traces the evolution of imperialist ideology in Germany from Bismarck in the mid-19th century through Hitler and the Third Reich. Although much has been written about the virulently racist and anti-communist ideologies of the Nazi party, this is the first book to treat Nazi imperialism as a separate ideology and set it within a sturdy theoretical framework. Smith contends that Nazi imperialism represented the last, ambitious attempt to integrate two century-old ideologies--the elite, pro-industrial Weltpolitik and the popular-based, pro-agrarian Lebensraum --into a single system. In fact, Smith argues that it was largely the way in which the Nazis attempted to reconcile these contradictory ideologies that explains Germany's disastrous policies during World War II. This wide-ranging study also contributes to the debates over several other aspects of German history, including German military aims in World War II, the continuity--or discontinuity--of German policy from Bismarck to Hitler, and the relation between ideology and social-political life. The author argues that the imperialist ideology and policies adopted by the Nazis must be seen as the result of a complex evolution of imperialist thinking in Germany which had its roots in the nineteenth century.