A NOTE from Richard Koenigsberg, March 2021 …. in an Item presented four years back and headed thus: “Is Trump Stealing Hitler’s Playbook? How does One Test the Truth of a Hypothesis: Predictive Validity.”
Hitler addressing rally in May 1937 — Associard Press Photo …https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/05/books/review/the-nazi-menace-benjamin-carter-hett.html
Donald Trump speaking at Phoenix on 23rd June 2020 (https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-06-24/trump-phoenix-speech-demagogue)
A wonderful Internet radio program, Howard Bloom Saves the Universe, is hosted by Chad Dougatz. Howard invited me to join the show to explore the question, “Why does Donald Trump stir us (either negatively or positively).”
I rarely comment on phenomena I have not researched for a year or more. However, there are many commonalities between Trump’s ideas and those of political leaders I’ve studied my entire life (such as Adolf Hitler).
The most significant similarity is the idea that one’s nation is in a state of decline—has lost its greatness—and that the cause of national collapse is the presence of certain classes of people within the body politic (e. g., Mexicans, illegal immigrants, Muslims).
I was particularly struck by the idea that deporting millions of people—removing them from within the body politic—was the key to restoring the [American] nation’s greatness.
I came into the interview with ideas I wished to discuss. However, the conversation took many twists and turns. Howard and Chad are great performers. One idea led to another.
One of the important topics that emerged was the (seemingly bizarre) presence of sexual themes that have dominated the campaign.
One thing we agreed upon was that Donald Trump has drawn people into the domain of political culture. By presenting unorthodox ideas—playing upon collective fantasies—people could not resist paying attention to the political process; even becoming addicted.
Readers of the Library of Social Science Newsletter have become familiar with my “voice” through the written word. Now, you have the opportunity to hear me speak. I hope you will click through and enjoy this program—and that it generates some valuable insights.
Best regards, Richard Koenigsberg
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Howard Bloom
Richard Koenigsberg
Chad Dougatz
LISTEN & PONDER = https://www.libraryofsocialscience.com/assets/audio/HBloom_Universe_022_Trump_as_Hitler.mp3
A NOTE:
The highlighting work is that of The Editor, Thuppahi. I stress here that Richard Koenigsberg has visited and worked in India and has for years been presenting studies of Fascism in its various forms –notably that ‘perfected’ in Germany. Towards this end he has charted Adolf Hitler’s emergence and the various inspirations for his frightening ideology….. Michael Roberts
.… and the FOLLOWING ITEMS
Richard A. Koenigsberg: “From Trump to Hitler …. and Populist Mahinda Rajapakse,” 16 December 2020, https://thuppahis.com/2020/12/16/from-trump-to-hitler-and-populist-mahinda-rajapakse/#more-47714
Uditha Devapriya: “Bonapartist Autocracy in Sri Lanka from 1977 onwards,“ 12 Decmber 2020, https://thuppahis.com/2020/12/12/bonapartist-autocracy-in-sri-lanka-from-1977-onwards/#more-47600
Michael Roberts: “Mahinda Rajapaksa: Cakravarti Imagery and Populist Processes,” 28 January 2012, http://thuppahi.wordpress.com/2012/01/28/mahinda-rajapaksa-cakravarti-imagery-and-populist-processes/, …………. courtesy of Groundviews, where a different title was deployed: “Mahinda Rajapaksa as a Modern Mahāvāsala and Font of Clemency? The Roots of Populist Authoritarianism”
Anne Applebaum: “Trump pays Mussolini-like Attention to His Own Image,” 7 October 2020,https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/10/trump-pays-mussolini-like-attention-his-own-image/616626/
Ganeshan iyer: “Hitler’s Rejuvenation of Germany as Inspiration for Prabhakaran,” 2 February 2012. https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/hitlers-rejuvenation-of-germany-as-inspiration-for-prabhakaran/
Thank you for this, Michael! By the way, I haven’t visited or worked in India. What I have done is studied Indian culture intensively. I saw over 100 Indian movies (at the Bombay Cinema in New York City), I employed my friend, Mahbubur Rahman Khan, for several years.
I even dated several beautiful Hindu women. I learned a great deal from one experience. A young Indian lady from South Africa was staying at her Uncle’s apartment in Manhattan for several months. I would meet her in the lobby for her dates. I took her to a nightclub, and we had a wonderful experience (first time she’s ever mixed with a white audience).
But after I hadn’t seen her for a week, I called and her Uncle answered the phone. I asked to speak to Anne Regina Naidoo. I told him i knew her. He said, “No you don’t.” Then he said if I ever called again he would CUT MY NOSE OFF.
No American would understand what was going on. I’m sure you do, and I eventually did.
Eventually, her auntie was in a car accident and her father had a heart-attack. And you can figure out what that was all about.
Best regards,
Richard K.